Syeda Uzma Naqvi, Sadaf Zia, Muhammad Shuja Farrukh, Kulsoom Begum, Salman Matiullah Shaikh, Syed Amir Maqbool, Rumaisa Aslam.
Quality of life in survivors of squamous cell carcinoma of oral and oropharyngeal patients in Karachi.
Rawal Med J Jan ;42(2):176-80.

Objectives: To evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral and oropharyngeal region. Methodology: This is prospective longitudinal study was conducted at ENT department Dow University Hospital and Radiotherapy Department KIRAN from November 2012 to November 2015. It included 56 patients of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of oral cavity and oropharynx regions who had completed cancer treatment (Wide local excision +/-Neck dissection +/- Radiotherapy). UW QOL questionnaire is taken as the tool to analyze the quality improvement in the domains of pain, appearance, activity, recreation, swallowing, chewing, speech, shoulder, taste, saliva, mood and anxiety. Comparative analysis used to assess all 12 factors associated with cancer patients. A paired t-test was used to compare preoperative and 6 months or more post-operative QOL rating. Results: Six months or more after surgery, 13 patients were lost to follow up and 9 died. 34 patients completed the UW QOL. Cancer Survivors presented overall significantly poorer QOL. QOL improved in the domains of activity, shoulder pain, mood and anxiety. Conclusion: This study recommend Quality of life assessment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers which may contribute to functional, psychological and somatic limitations and likely alter the treatment methodology where cure of cancer is equally good for any modality. This study also identifies that cases of early cancer of oral and oropharyngeal region would not compromise QOL of the patients significantly.

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