Relationship between Late Effects and Social Distress in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors More Than One Year After Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between late effects and social distresses in head and neck cancer survivors more than one year after radiotherapy. Method: An existing subset of head and neck cancer-specific quality of life scale was used to assess late effects and social distresses in survivors who had completed radiotherapy for more than 1 year. Descriptive statistics were performed for each social distresses and symptom, and were analyzed their association. Results: Seventy-three people responded to the survey. All patients had some symptoms. The most prevalent and severe late effect was dry mouth (79.5%). In addition, the most prevalent social distress was trouble with social eating (87.7%), and the most severe was speech problems. There was a significant positive correlation between late effects and social distresses. Social distresses were associated with dysphagia and sticky saliva and a history of surgery. Conclusion: Head and neck cancer survivors may have multiple late effects and social distresses at the same time, and there are a need for a comprehensive assessment of the impact of symptoms in the outpatient setting.

Follow-up observation of eye lens in ten victims accidentally exposed to 60Co radiation source / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective To observe late effect of 60Co radiation accident on eye lens in the victims.Methods Medical observations of eye lens were performed on ten victims accidentally exposed to 60Co sources in four radiation accidents that have occurred from 1986 to 2000 in Henan Province.Pathological changes of the eye lenses were examined by using slit lamp microscopy after mydriasis with compound tropicamide.Results Of these ten victims, Liang in a radiation accident in Kaifeng (in 1986), Mei in Xinxiang (in 1999) and Xu in Xuchang (in 2000) all had typical radiation-induced cataract 2, 3 and 6 years after irradiation, respectively.Follow-up observation of the lens showed the punctate and/or granular opacities present in the eye posterior subcapsular of Yan in Kaifeng accident, Jie in Zhengzhou (1987), and Tian, Yong and Yi in Xinxiang accident, featuring the early changes of radiation-induced cataract, but the posterior subcapsular opacities were not observed in Wang and Min in Xinxiang accident.Conclusions Focus should be on the eye lens as the target organ of radiation exposure in long-term follow-up of victims accidentally exposed to radiation source.Severity of the lens opacity induced by ionizing radiation is closely associated with radiation doses.

Late Effects, Social Adjustment, and Quality of Life in Adolescent Survivors of Childhood Leukemia

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the late effects, social adjustment, and quality of life in adolescents who had been completely treated for childhood leukemia and their parents. METHODS: Participants consisted of 41 pairs of adolescent survivors (13-18 years) and their parents. Parents checked for their child's physical late effects. The Korean Version of Post-Traumatic Symptoms for psychological late effects, social functioning questionnaire for social adjustment and the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales for quality of life were completed by adolescents and parents. Data were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: Twenty out of 41 adolescents had one or more physical late effects. Adolescents showed more serious psychological late effect than parents. Five children and seven parents had above cut-off scores and they were considered the high risk group for posttraumatic symptoms. Parent-reported scores were significantly higher than child-reported scores in terms of social adjustment and emotional functioning of quality of life. Low school functioning in adolescents was associated with physical late effects. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that long-term and systematic management for childhood leukemia survivors affect positive social adjustment and can further improve quality of life.