A national study of health-related quality of life in patients with cancer of the base of the tongue compared to the general population and to patients with tonsillar carcinoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nThis exploratory, registry-based, cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate patients health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a subsite of oropharyngeal cancer: cancer of the base of the tongue (CBT).\n\n\nMETHODS\nCBT patients, treated with curative intent, completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires 15\u2009months after diagnosis. The HRQOL of CBT patients was compared to reference scores from the general population and to that of tonsillar carcinoma patients.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe 190 CBT patients scored significantly worse than members of the general population on most scales. CBT patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive tumors had significantly better HRQOL on 8 of 28 scales than HPV-negative patients. Compared to 405 tonsillar carcinoma patients, CBT patients had significantly worse HRQOL on 8 of the 28 scales, the majority local head and neck related problems.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nOne\u2009year after treatment, CBT patients HRQOL was significantly worse in many areas compared to that of the general population and slightly worse than that of tonsillar carcinoma patients.