Quality of Life After Total Laryngectomy: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Quality of life is severely affected in laryngeal cancer patients, who have undergone total laryngectomy, particularly with regard to cancer diagnosis and the consequences of total laryngectomy. The aim of the present study is to record and evaluate the problems related with the quality of life in laryngectomized patients. A further goal is to investigate, whether a correlation exists between demographics and clinical characteristics of the patients. Fifty male patients, who underwent total laryngectomy, participated in the study. Two questionnaires were used to test various quality of life parameters, the EORTC QLQ C30 version 3.0 and EORTC QLQ H&N35. Specific demographic and clinical data of the patients were also recorded. The overall quality of life index was similar in both studied patients and the reference group of cancer patients provided by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). However, the following discrepancies were noted: voice, senses, dyspnoea were more problematic in studied patients, whereas the functional status of cognitive, physical, social and emotional function were better. In most recorded symptoms, the intensity was mild. The demographic and clinical data appeared to have interesting correlations with specific functional aspects and symptoms. Although several quality of life aspects are found to be negatively affected in laryngectomized patients, overall quality of life appears to be satisfactory.

Keywords: EORCT; Laryngeal cancer; Quality of life; Total laryngectomy.

Fig. 1

Comparative diagram between the mean values of the sample (blue line) and all cancer patients’ data (reference population of EORTC) (red line), for the questionnaire QLQ C30 v3.0

Fig. 2

Comparative diagram between the mean values of the male sample with head and neck cancer (Head and Neck males) and reference male cancer population of the questionnaire QLQ C30 v3.0

Fig. 3

Comparative diagram of distribution of sample values and the mean values of the reference population with head and neck cancer for the QLQ H & N35 questionnaire