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- Title
Psychosocial consequences of head and neck cancer symptom burden after chemoradiation: a mixed-method study.
- Authors
Geiss, Carley; Hoogland, Aasha I.; Arredondo, Brandy; Rodriguez, Yvelise; Bryant, Crystal; Chung, Christine H.; Patel, Krupal B.; Gonzalez, Brian D.; Jim, Heather S. L.; Kirtane, Kedar; Oswald, Laura B.
- Abstract
Purpose: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience significant symptom burden from combination chemotherapy and radiation (chemoradiation) that affects acute and long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, psychosocial impacts of HNC symptom burden are not well understood. This study examined psychosocial consequences of treatment-related symptom burden from the perspectives of survivors of HNC and HNC healthcare providers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, mixed-method study conducted at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Participants (N = 33) were survivors of HNC who completed a full course of chemoradiation (n = 20) and HNC healthcare providers (n = 13). Participants completed electronic surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results: Survivors were M = 61 years old (SD = 9) and predominantly male (75%), White (90%), non-Hispanic (100%), and diagnosed with oropharynx cancer (70%). Providers were mostly female (62%), White (46%) or Asian (31%), and non-Hispanic (85%) and included physicians, registered nurses, an advanced practice nurse practitioner, a registered dietician, and a speech-language pathologist. Three qualitative themes emerged: (1) shock, shame, and self-consciousness, (2) diminished relationship satisfaction, and (3) lack of confidence at work. A subset of survivors (20%) reported clinically low social wellbeing, and more than one-third of survivors (35%) reported clinically significant fatigue, depression, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction. Conclusion: Survivors of HNC and HNC providers described how treatment-related symptom burden impacts psychosocial identity processes related to body image, patient-caregiver relationships, and professional work. Results can inform the development of supportive interventions to assist survivors and caregivers with navigating the psychosocial challenges of HNC treatment and survivorship.
- Publication
Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024, Vol 32, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
0941-4355
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00520-024-08424-3