Quality of Life in Patients with Head and Neck Neoplasms Treated with Lymphonodular Cervical Dissections

Abstract

Introduction: The quality of life in cancer patients constitutes a novel topic in the framework of modern oncology. Its study is important to select the oncospecific treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life before and after surgery in patients with head and neck neoplasms treated with lymphonodular cervical dissections.

Methods: A developmental, descriptive, longitudinal, and prospective investigation was carried out at Arnaldo Milián Castro Clinical-Surgical Hospital fromOctober 2013 to September 2016. A non-probabilistic sample of 41 patients was selected from a population of 58. The Karnofsky-Burchenal and House-Brackmann scales were used. Neck Dissection Impairment Index, and the University of Washington Quality of Life Survey were applied.

Results: 34.1% were between 66 and 75 years old; 70.7% of them were male. In relation to the general condition, 16 patients were perfectly well before surgery and 11 exhibited minor symptoms after surgery; 21 patients (51.2%) had normal facial function after surgery and 14 (34.1%) had mild shoulder and neck dysfunction. 61% referred that their quality of life was excellent before surgery, while 34.1% described it as good a month later.

Conclusions: The general condition of the patients worsened after surgery according to their perception when filling out the survey. Regarding quality of life, they stated that it was excellent before surgery, while afterwards the largest number of patients stated that their quality of life was good and very good.