Health-related quality of life became worse in short-term during treatment in head and neck cancer patients: a prospective study

do Nascimento Santos Lima, Emanuelle; Ferreira, Isabela Borges; Lajolo, Paula Philbert; Paiva, Carlos Eduardo; de Paiva Maia, Yara Cristina; das Graças Pena, Geórgia

doi:10.1186/s12955-020-01543-5

Table 3 QLQ-H&N43: Quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer during antineoplastic treatment (n = 63)

Quality of Life domains	T0		T1		T2		*p-value*	∆T1-T0 n (%)	∆T2-T1 n (%)	∆T2-T0 n (%)
Quality of Life domains	Mean (SD)	Median (p25-p75)	Mean (SD)	Median (p25-p75)	Mean (SD)	Median (p25-p75)	*p-value*	≥ ± 10 score points n (%)
Anxiety	38.88 (38.21)	33.33 (0.00–66.66)	35.44 (34.45)	33.33 (0.00–66.66)	32.01 (29.82)	33.33 (0.00–50)	0.662	20 (31.7)	19 (30.2)	21 (33.3)
Body image	19.40 (28.70)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	19.92 (25.49)	11.11 (0.0–33.33)	24.51 (29.54)	11.11 (0.0–44.44)	0.382	22 (34.9)	21 (33.3)	24 (38.1)
Coughing	30.15 (37.72)	0.0 (0.00–66.66)	33.33 (36.41)	33.33 (0.00–66.66)	34.92 (38.06)	33.33 (0.00–66.66)	0.680	18 (28.6)	21 (33.3)	21 (33.3)
Dry mouth and sticky saliva	33.86 (30.07)	33.33 (0.0–50)	69.84 (29.19)	66.66 (33.33–100)	62.69 (30.48)	66.66 (33.33–100)	< 0.001^c	43 (68.3)	17 (27.0)	40 (63.3)
Lymphoedema	25.39 (40.03)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	17.98 (32.69)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	15.34 (29.22)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	0.059	8 (12.7)	8 (12.7)	10 (15.9)
Neurological problems	10.58 (24.55)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	19.57 (33.13)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	22.75 (34.81)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	0.001	15 (23.8)	10 (15.9)	17 (27.0)
Trismus or Opening mouth	18.51 (36.30)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	22.22 (36.41)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	28.57 (39.19)	0.0 (0.00–66.66)	0.113	10 (15.9)	13 (20.6)	14 (22.2)
Pain in the mouth	28.30 (29.99)	16.66 (0.0–41.66)	36.90 (29.43)	33.33 (8.33–58.33)	32.27 (25.68)	25 (8.33–50)	0.012^b	29 (46.0)	12 (19.0)	28 (44.4)
Sexuality	23.54 (35.24)	0.0 (0.0–50)	35.44 (40.87)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	35.44 (41.63)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	0.020	26 (41.3)	13 (20.6)	23 (36.5)
Social contact	20.63 (37.59)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	23.80 (38.99)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	24.33 (36.02)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	0.613	12 (19.0)	13 (20.6)	13 (20.6)
Problems with senses	14.55 (24.03)	0.0 (0.0–16.66)	47.35 (33.49)	50 (16.66–66.66)	45.76 (30.37)	50 (16.66–50)	< 0.001^c	45 (71.4)	18 (28.6)	47 (74.6)
Shoulder Problems	12.16 (22.83)	0.0 (0.0–16.66)	10.31 (21.46)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	10.58 (23.81)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.627	7 (11.1)	12 (19.0)	11 (17.5)
Skin problems	8.11 (12.33)	0.0 (0.0–11.11)	31.39 (23.74)	33.33 (11.11–44.44)	26.63 (21.07)	22.22 (11.11–44.44)	< 0.001^c	47 (74.6)	23 (36.5)	41 (65.1)
Social eating	24.60 (31.12)	8.33 (0.0–41.66)	34.65 (27.19)	25 (16.66–50)	30.68 (26.59)	25 (8.33–50)	0.009^b	34 (54.0)	14 (22.2)	29 (46.0)
Speech	31.85 (31.59)	20 (6.66–60)	31.21 (33.58)	20 (0.0–60)	33.12 (32.17)	20 (6.66–60)	0.729	15 (23.8)	20 (31.7)	18 (28.6)
Swallowing	30.02 (30.06)	25 (0.0–58.33)	43.78 (30.63)	41.66 (16.66–75.00)	37.56 (29.70)	33.33 (8.33–58.33)	0.014^b	31 (49.2)	12 (19.0)	28 (44.4)
Problems with teeth	16.75 (23.51)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	22.22 (25.32)	11.11 (0.0–33.33)	33.15 (68.12)	33.33 (0.0–33.33)	0.002^a	25 (39.7)	22 (34.9)	33 (52.4)
Weight loss	26.45 (36.92)	0.0 (0.0–41.66)	34.92 (40.35)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	39.78 (40.41)	33.33 (0.0–66.66)	0.004	21 (33.3)	15 (24.2)	26 (41.9)
Problems with wound healing	6.87 (23.30)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	4.76 (16.78)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	5.29 (17.15)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.978	4 (6.3)	5 (7.9)	6 (9.5)

P-values followed by letters differed statistically according to the post hoc test at the 5% probability level (Friedman test and Dunn post hoc test ajusted by Bonferroni: ^a difference between T0 and T2; ^b difference between T0 and T1; ^c difference between T0 and T1, and T0 and T2. ∆ T1-T0, ∆ T2-T1 and ∆ T2-T0 ≥ 10 or ≤ −10 score points: clinically significant negative difference

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