Quality of Life and Radiotherapy Complications of Chinese Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients at Different 3DCRT Stages

Mo-Fa Gu,Wei-Ling He,Yong Su,Chuan-Wei Mo,Miao-Qiu Chen,Qian Xu,Yuan-Ming Diao,Xin-Lin Chen,Jian-Jun Li,Zhen-Yu He

doi:10.7314/apjcp.2012.13.1.075

Abstract

the study aimed to compare the quality of life (QOL) and radiotherapy complications among Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients at different 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) stages adjusting for other variables. 511 NPC patients at different 3DCRT stages were enrolled. They were interviewed regarding SF-36, complications and socio-demographic variables and cancer- or treatment- related variables. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) based on SF-36, complications scores as dependent variables, 3DCRT stages as independent variables, and other variables as covariate were established. The influencing factors of PCS included 3DCRT stages and age group. The influencing factors of MCS included 3DCRT stages and income. Most QOL scores of NPC patients were significantly associated with 3DCRT stage, after accounting for other variables. QOL scores of the patients receiving 3DCRT were the lowest, QOL scores of people after 3DCRT gradually increased. PCS scores of people greater than 5 years after 3DCRT was improved to or even better than the level before 3DCRT. The complications with significantly different scores of patients at different 3DCRT status included xerostomia, throat ache, hypogeusia, caries, hearing loss, snuffles. Clinicians should pay more attention to older NPC patients and patients with lower income. When patients receive 3DCRT, measures should be taken to reduce radiation injury to improve the patients' QOL.

Highlights

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is playing important roles in measuring the therapeutic effects of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients
Purpose: the study aimed to compare the quality of life (QOL) and radiotherapy complications among Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients at different 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) stages adjusting for other variables
*meant a significant difference compared with scores of patients under 3DCRT; PF, physical functioning; RP, role limitations; BP, bodily pain; GH, general health; VT, vitality; SF, social functioning; RE, role emotional; MH, mental health; PCS, physical component score summary; MCS, mental component score summary

Summary

Introduction

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is playing important roles in measuring the therapeutic effects of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Previous researchers reported that 3DCRT had detrimental effects on NPC patient’s health status and quality of life. The complications resulted in chronic health problems such as discomfort and pains and resulted in chronic mental stress such as sleep disturbances, and increasing rates of anxiety, which seriously had a bad effect on QOL (McMillan et al, 2004). Some papers reported that socio-demographic variables and cancer- or treatment- related variables played a significant role in the QOL of NPC patients, such as the dose of 3DCRT, gender, age, dialect, economic status, occupational status, educational level, monthly income, economic status, numbers of comorbidities, treatment method, and RT dose Some papers reported that socio-demographic variables and cancer- or treatment- related variables played a significant role in the QOL of NPC patients, such as the dose of 3DCRT, gender, age, dialect, economic status, occupational status, educational level, monthly income, economic status, numbers of comorbidities, treatment method, and RT dose (Fang et al, 2002; Y. Wu et al, 2007; Demiral et al, 2008)

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