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 4 QLQ-H&N35: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 (%)
Speech problems	27.33 (31.54)	11.11 (0.0–55.55)	29.10 (32.08)	33.33 (8.33–58.33)	32.27 (25.68)	25 (0.0–50)	0.139	23 (36.5)	27 (42.9)	26 (41.3)
Social contact	9.62 (14.55)	0.0 (0.0–13.33)	13.75 (20.13)	0.0 (0.0–20)	13.86 (18.67)	6.66 (0.0–20)	0.211	20 (31.7)	14 (22.2)	19 (30.2)
Teeth	11.64 (28.81)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	14.81 (32.66)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	13.75 (29.71)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.753	9 (14.3)	8 (12.7)	10 (15.9)
Opening mouth or trismus	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)
Dry 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)
Sticky saliva	38.09 (39.19)	33.33 (0.0–66.66)	65.60 (39.24)	66.66 (33.33–100)	65.60 (37.84)	66.66 (33.33–100)	< 0.001^a	39 (61.9)	16 (25.4)	38 (60.3)
Felt ill	24.86 (37.84)	0.0 (0.0–66.66)	25.92 (37.12)	0.0 (0.0–33.33)	31.21 (39.65)	0.0 (0.00–66.66)	0.147	15 (23.8)	18 (28.6)	9 (14.3)
Pain killers	63.49 (48.53)	100 (0–100)	69.84 (46.26)	100 (0–100)	69.84 (46.26)	100 (0–100)	0.467	9 (14.3)	7 (11.1)	9 (14.3)
Nutritional supplements	25.39 (43.87)	0.0 (0–100)	68.25 (46.92)	100 (0–100)	73.01 (44.74)	100 (0–100)	< 0.001^a	29 (46.0)	8 (12.7)	31 (49.2)
Feeding tube	6.34 (24.58)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	22.22 (41.90)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	23.60 (42.93)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.001	10 (15.9)	4 (6.3)	12 (19.0)
Weight loss	50.79 (50.39)	100 (0.0–100)	53.96 (50.24)	100 (0.0–100)	52.38 (50.34)	100 (0.0–100)	0.924	16 (25.4)	9 (14.3)	14 (22.2)
Weight gain	25.39 (43.87)	0.0 (0.0–100)	31.74 (46.92)	0.0 (0.0–100)	42.85 (49.88)	0.0 (0.0–100)	0.076	14 (22.2)	16 (25.4)	17 (27.0)

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 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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ISSN: 1477-7525

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