Quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after intensity modulated radiotherapy / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the status of quality of life (QOL) and the related factors in pa-tients with uasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy, and to explore the significance of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in decreasing side effects and improving QOL. Methods A questionnaire including 35 items was designed according to EORTC QLQ-30 and the related symptoms and side effects of NPC. 142 NPC patients surviving with disease-free after radiotherapy were surveyed for the evaluation of QOL. The median follow-up was 25 months. The information of social demography and clinical details were collected. The patients were divided into IMRT group (75 patients) and conventional radiotherapy (CRT) group (67 patients). A statistical software package SAS 8.1 was used to compare the marks of QOL between the groups and analyze the influencing factors. Results In IMRT group and CRT group, the marks of affec-tire cognitive domain were 82.8±14.7 and 77.5±16.0(t=2.07, P=0.040);and the marks of disease and treatment-related symptoms, and reactive domain were 78.9±10.3 and 69.8±13.3 (t=4.59, P=0.000). The marks were significantly different in xerostomia, trismus, deglutitory choke, hoarseness, re-striction of neck movement and dysphagia (P < 0.05). Of the influencing factors of QOL, the domain of body function was sex (regression coefficient was -4.692), the self-evaluation of total QOL were follow-up time and educational background (regression coefficients were -0.618 and 12.316, respectively), the fi-nancial status was family monthly income per capita (regression coefficient was -11.133), and the disease and treatment-related symptoms and reactive domain were group (techniques of radiation) and age (regression coefficients were -9.384 and -5.853, respectively). Conclusions IMRT could improve the QOL through decreasing the side effects of patients with NPC including xerostomia, trismus, restriction of neck movement and dysphagia. Sex, age, family monthly income per capita, educational background, fol-low-up time and the irradiation techniques may affect QOL.