To compare quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced laryngeal cancers treated by total laryngectomy with those who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
Study Design
This is a cross-sectional study of the patients treated in our institution who have completed one year of follow-up and were disease-free at the time of evaluation.
Subjects and Method
Forty patients treated for advanced cancer of the larynx (stage III/IV), either by concurrent chemoradiation (11) or total laryngectomy and postoperative radiation (29), have been included in this study. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) version 4 questionnaire was used.
Results
Total scores for overall QOL are equal in both treatment groups (P = 0.69). Scores for individual components are similar in both treatment groups. However, dryness of mouth is significantly worse in the chemoradiotherapy group (P = 0.01) and ability to communicate with others is poorer in the laryngectomy group (P = 0.03).
Conclusion
Long-term overall QOL remains similar in all the patients treated for advanced carcinoma of the larynx irrespective of treatment modality.
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