PRO-NOVELTY: Patient-Reported Outcomes in NOse VEstibule interventionaL radioTherapY (brachytherapy)

Abstract

Background: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact on the quality of life of the treatment of nasal vestibule tumors by interventional radiotherapy (IRT-brachytherapy) through a patient reported outcome questionnaire. Methods: We prospectively collected data about patients undergoing IRT according to our institutional schedule of 44 Gy delivered in 14 fractions twice a day. We recorded both acute toxicity data, using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0, and quality of life data, using the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) at baseline (T0), at 1 month (T1), at 3 months (T3), and at 6 months (T6). Results: We enrolled 10 consecutive patients treated between February 2023 and October 2023. The decrease in terms of SNOT-22 mean value was statistically significant from T0 and T6 with a p-value < 0.001. A noteworthy clinical finding is that quality of life improved regardless of the occurrence of G1-G2 side effects. Conclusions: Using SNOT-22 on patients with nasal vestibule carcinoma treated with IRT has shown an improvement in quality of life that is not strictly dependent on the occurrence of expected G1-G2 side effects.

Keywords: brachytherapy; interventional radiotherapy; nasal vestibule; nose vestibule; quality of life.

Figure 1

SNOT-22 values at different time intervals (on the x axis timing of subjective reporting are reported; on y axis the actual values of SNOT-22 are reported). Legend. SNOT-22: 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test; T0: baseline; T1: at 1 month after IRT; T3: at 3 months after IRT; T6: at 6 months after IRT. *—statistically significat (p < 0.05).

Figure 2

Comparison between trend of PROs and side effects after IRT (on the x axis timing of objective and subjective reporting are reported; on the y axis the percentage of side effects and PROs are reported). Legend. SNOT-22: 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test; T0: baseline; T1: at 1 month after IRT; T3: at 3 months after IRT; T6: at 6 months after IRT; G1: grade 1: G2: grade 2; Nasal congestion (G1–G2): sum of G1 and G2 adverse events.