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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2011 Oct;19(10):1511-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-010-0975-x. Epub 2010 Aug 21.

The relationship between weight loss and health-related quality of life in persons treated for head and neck cancer

Barbara A Head  1 , Luke Heitz, Cynthia Keeney, John Myers, Savitri N Appana, Jamie L Studts, Jeffrey Bumpous, Mark Pfeifer
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The relationship between weight loss and health-related quality of life in persons treated for head and neck cancer

Barbara A Head et al. Support Care Cancer. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores the relationship between weight loss, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and symptom burden in patients treated for head and neck cancers.

Methods: Participants completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment. Weights were recorded prior to treatment and at the post-treatment follow-up visit, and percentage weight loss was tabulated. Relationships between weight loss, HRQOL, and symptom burden were evaluated using the nonparametric Spearman rho. A simple linear regression model was developed to examine the influence weight loss has on HRQOL in a predictive manner.

Results: Average weight loss per patient was 12 lb with a modal value of 19. Weight loss was found to be significantly correlated with decreases in physical well-being, functional well-being, the Head and Neck specific subscale, and composite QOL scores. No significant correlations were found between weight loss and symptom burden as measured by the MSAS. Linear regression suggested that a 10% decrease in baseline weight resulted in a 19% decrease in the FACT-H&N score.

Conclusion: The strong association between weight loss and HRQOL supports the importance of efforts to prevent weight loss via patient education, aggressive monitoring, and immediate intervention to stop or reverse weight loss during treatment. New approaches to the weight loss and wasting experienced by patients should be developed and tested.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest None

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Histogram of pounds lost during treatment
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Correlation plots of percent weight loss and QOL/symptom burden scale/subscales
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Fit plot for percent change in FACT-H&N score from baseline
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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