The personality and quality of life in HNSCC patients following treatment

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between self-reported quality of life (QoL) and personality in successfully treated primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. We determined QoL using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ) C30/H&N35, and personality by the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). All patients younger than 80 years who had been diagnosed with HNSCC in Western Norway in the period from 1992 to 1997, and who had survived until 1999, were sampled. 96 patients (a 90% response rate) were included. Questionnaires were also mailed to all Norwegian laryngectomised patients; 104 patients returned the questionnaires (a 50% response rate). The neuroticism scores were test re-test reliable as determined by the neuroticism scores measured at the primary HNSCC diagnosis for a sub-sample (N=22) of the included patients. High neuroticism was associated with a low QoL in both patient samples. The neuroticism score was associated with the QLQ-C30 scales (common variance: 17–25%) and all QoL scores in the laryngectomised group (common variance: 11–25%), and the H&N35 symptom scores in the laryngectomised sample. The associations could still be shown when adjustments were made for gender, age, marital status, educational level, number of children and level of treatment. Extraversion was associated with general QoL, physical and emotional scores in the HNSCC patient sample. Radiation therapy in the HNSCC sample was associated with the H&N35 symptom scores, but different ones to those associated with neuroticism. In conclusion, high neuroticism, but not extraversion, is associated with a lowered QoL.