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- Title
Radiation related morbidities and their impact on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients receiving radical radiotherapy.
- Authors
Bansal, M.; Mohanti, B. K.; Shah, N.; Chaudhry, R.; Bahadur, S.; Shukla, N. K.
- Abstract
Although 50-70% of head and neck cancer patients in India receive radiotherapy (RT), radiation-related acute and late morbidities and their impact on quality of life (QOL) are infrequently reported. Acute and late radiation morbidities and QOL were assessed in a prospective longitudinal study of 45 patients with head and neck cancers receiving radical RT to a dose of 7000 cGy in conventional fractionation. Grade II acute morbidities experienced by the largest percent of the sample during the course of RT pertained to the mucosa (66.4%), salivary gland (84%), and oesophagus (53%). These morbidities led to an increase in the symptom scores of appetite loss (76.46), fatigue (65.75) and pain (44.77). This increase in the symptom scores consequently led to a significant decline in physical, social and emotional functioning as well as global health status score during the course of RT (p < 0.001). Scores improved after 1 month of RT but did not reach the pre-RT value. Future studies may consider correlating QOL assessment to significant patient and disease related parameters such as performance status, weight loss, stage and site of disease.
- Subjects
INDIA; RADIATION injuries; QUALITY of life; HEAD &; neck cancer patients; RADIOTHERAPY
- Publication
Quality of Life Research, 2004, Vol 13, Issue 2, p481
- ISSN
0962-9343
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1023/B:QURE.0000018491.80646.bc