Quality of life after treatment for acoustic neuroma using the new PANQOL Scale

Abstract

Objectives: To compare quality of life in acoustic neuroma patients undergoing different treatment algorithms using the PANQOL scale, a new validated and disease specific quality of life instrument. Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: One hundred forty-three patients with acoustic neuromas and 40 general otolaryngology controls completed the 26 question PANQOL scale and the SF-36 general health related quality of life scale. PANQOL data was analyzed in relation to chart medical data. Results: The only PANQOL domain to show a significant difference between conservative, gamma knife, and microsurgery treatment groups was the face domain, which was worst in the microsurgery group and best in the conservative group. The SF-36 did not capture any significant differences between treatment groups. All treatment groups had significantly lower PANQOL hearing and balance scores compared to controls. Acoustic neuroma cases had a significantly better PANQOL general health score compared to general otolaryngology controls. Conservative management cases showed an inverse correlation between tumor size and PANQOL face and pain scores. Gamma knife cases showed an inverse correlation between tumor size and PANQOL general health, energy and total scores, and also an inverse correlation between time since treatment and PANQOL face score. Microsurgery cases showed an inverse correlation between tumor size and PANQOL pain score. Conclusions: Individual PANQOL domain scores showed important correlations with patient and tumor characteristics that were unique to different treatment algorithms. Only PANQOL hearing and balance scores were significantly worse in cases compared to controls. The PANQOL scale should prove useful in future prospective studies.