QUALITY OF LIFE IN TREATED PATIENTS OF HEAD ANO NECK CANCER
Keywords:
voice disorders, head and neck neoplasms, quality of lifeAbstract
Objective
The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life of patients who underwent surgical procedures to remove malignant tumors of the larynx, pharynx and oral cavity.
Methods
Thirty five patients, both ma/e and female, ranging in age from 51 to 70 years, were randomly selected for this study. The patients attended the Head and Neck Service of a University Hospital of Campinas city and were a/so being assisted by the speech-language service. They verbal/y answered questions related to: pain and se/f perception of their looks, difficulties regarding feeding, chewing, swal/owing; sa/ivation, saliva collecting contrai, and possible speech problems and changes in daily routine and /eisure activity leveis.
Results
Most of the patients were males, aging between 51 and 60 years and the time after surgery procedures ranged from one to five years. From ai! the questions answered orally, three showed changes in quality of /ife: chewing, swallowing and speech difficulties, interfering with the speech intelligibility.
Conclusion
From the data collected, it was evident that speech-language assistance should be provided as soon as possible for head and neck cancer patients aiming at minimizing the post-surgica/ impact.
Downloads
References
De Angelis EC, Fúria CLB, Mourão LF, Kowalski LP. A atuação da fonoaudiologia no câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Lovise; 2000.
Boring CC, Squires TS, Tong T, Montgomeny S. Cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin. 1994; 44(1):7-26.
Sptiz MR. Epidemology and risk factors for the head and neck cancer. Semin Oncol. 1994; 21(3):281-8.
Yarbrough WG, Shores C, Witsell DL, Weissler MC, Fidler ME, Gilmer TM. ras mutations and expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Laryncoscope. 1994; 104(11 Ptl):1337-47.
Hammerlid E, Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Boysen M, Evensen JF, Biõrklund A, et ai. A prospective study of qualit of life in head and neck cancer patients. Part 1: at diagnosis. Laryncoscope. 2001; 111(4 Pt 1):
-80.
Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Tipo de câncer 1996-2005 [acesso em 17 jul. 2005]. Disponível em: http://www.inca.gov.br/conteudo_view.asp? id=82
Major MS, Bumpous JM, Flynn MB, Schill K. Quality of life after treatment for advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Laryncoscope. 2001; 111(8):1379-82.
Robertson ML, Gleich LL, Barrett WL, Gluckman JL. Base-of-tongue cancer: suvival, function and quality of life after external-beam irradiation and brachytherapy. Laryncoscope. 2001; 111(8):1362-5.
Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Hammerlid E, Boysen M, Evensen JF, Biõrklund A, et ai. A prospective study of quality of life in head and neck patients. Part li: Longitudinal data. Laryngoscope. 2001; 111(8): 1440-52.
Murrry T, Carrau RL, David EE. Epidemiology of Swallowing Disorders. ln Carrau RL, Murry T. Comprehensive management of swallowing disorders. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group; 1999. Chapter 1.
Kõhle JL, Camargo Z, Nemr K. Análise perceptivo-auditiva da qualidade vocal de Indivíduos Submetidos a Laringectomias parciais verticais pela auto-avaliação dos indivíduos e pela avaliação fonoaudiológica. Rev. CEFAC Atual Cient Fonoaudiol. 2004; 6(1):67-76.
Weymuller EA, Yueh B, Deleyiannis FWB, Kuntz AL, Alsarraf R, Coltrera M. D. Quality of life in head and neck cancer. Laringoscope. 2000; 110:4-7.
