Quality of life in patients with laryngeal cancer before and after surgery

Abstract

Introduction/Objective Assessment of the Quality-of-life questionnaires was filled out before and after surgery by patients with laryngeal cancer hospitalized in the Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, qualified for surgical treatment.

Methods Fifty-four patients with laryngeal cancer in T3 and T4 stages who were qualified for total laryngectomy were asked to fill out the EORTC QLQ-30 and H&N30 modules before and a few years after surgical treatment.

Results The quality of life of the hospitalized patients increased after surgery. The level of pain after surgery decreased and was statistically significant (p = 0.025). In the study group, 90.6% of patients survived five years after surgery.

Conclusion The quality of life in patients with laryngeal cancer improved in the domain of pain. Further research should be conducted on a larger group of patients. Future results could provide useful material for analysis regarding the benefits for the patient that may be relevant to a decision to consent to the proposed treatment and the choice of its type.

Keywords: quality of life; laryngeal cancer; follow-up; laryngectomy