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. 2023 Jul 11;31(8):458.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-07918-w.

The course of health-related quality of life in the first 2 years after a diagnosis of head and neck cancer: the role of personal, clinical, psychological, physical, social, lifestyle, disease-related, and biological factors

Irma M Verdonck-de Leeuw  1   2   3   4 , Laura H A Korsten  5   6 , Annette van Nieuwenhuizen  5   6 , Rob J Baatenburg de Jong  7 , Ruud H Brakenhoff  5   6 , Laurien M Buffart  8 , Femke Lamers  6   9 , Johannes A Langendijk  10 , C René Leemans  5   6 , Jan H Smit  6   10 , Mirjam A Sprangers  6   11   12 , Robert P Takes  13 , Chris H J Terhaard  14 , Birgit I Lissenberg-Witte  15 , Femke Jansen  5   6
Affiliations

The course of health-related quality of life in the first 2 years after a diagnosis of head and neck cancer: the role of personal, clinical, psychological, physical, social, lifestyle, disease-related, and biological factors

Irma M Verdonck-de Leeuw et al. Support Care Cancer. .

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this prospective cohort study was to estimate the relationship between the course of HRQOL in the first 2 years after diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) and personal, clinical, psychological, physical, social, lifestyle, HNC-related, and biological factors.

Methods: Data were used from 638 HNC patients of the NETherlands QUality of life and BIomedical Cohort study (NET-QUBIC). Linear mixed models were used to investigate factors associated with the course of HRQOL (EORTC QLQ-C30 global quality of life (QL) and summary score (SumSc)) from baseline to 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after treatment.

Results: Baseline depressive symptoms, social contacts, and oral pain were significantly associated with the course of QL from baseline to 24 months. Tumor subsite and baseline social eating, stress (hyperarousal), coughing, feeling ill, and IL-10 were associated with the course of SumSc. Post-treatment social contacts and stress (avoidance) were significantly associated with the course of QL from 6 to 24 months, and social contacts and weight loss with the course of SumSc. The course of SumSc from 6 to 24 months was also significantly associated with a change in financial problems, speech problems, weight loss, and shoulder problems between baseline and 6 months.

Conclusion: Baseline clinical, psychological, social, lifestyle, HNC-related, and biological factors are associated with the course of HRQOL from baseline to 24 months after treatment. Post-treatment social, lifestyle, and HNC-related factors are associated with the course of HRQOL from 6 to 24 months after treatment.

Keywords: Cortisol; Head and neck cancer; Health-related quality of life; Inflammation; Stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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