Influence of late side-effects upon daily life after radiotherapy for laryngeal and pharyngeal cancer

Abstract

The influence on daily life from long-term side-effects was studied in patients treated more than 5 years ago with radiotherapy for laryngeal and pharyngeal cancer. Forty-six patients were asked to participate in telephone interviews and 44 participated. Only a minority (10%) stated serious problems related to the treatment. Problems related to the voice and severe xerostomia were especially mentioned. Half of the patients treated for pharyngeal cancer, complained of xerostomia and had occasionally a feeling of being handicapped. Social relations were impaired in 10% of the patients and 10% had retired due to their cancer or therapy related side-effects. It is concluded that radiotherapy seems to be a well tolerated treatment with relatively little impairment of the daily life in patients with laryngeal cancer. In patients with pharyngeal cancer, xerostomia is a major problem, which often persists more than 5 years after treatment.