Defining a Standard Set of Health Outcomes for Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck in Spain

Virginia Arrazubi; Gerardo Cajaraville; David Cantero; Jordi Giralt; Ricard Mesia; Florencio Monje; Antonio Rueda; Alexander Sistiaga; Jorge Suarez; Alejandro Mut; Marta Comellas; Luis Lizán

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.747520

Defining a Standard Set of Health Outcomes for Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck in Spain

Front Oncol. 2022 Jan 24:11:747520. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.747520. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Virginia Arrazubi¹, Gerardo Cajaraville², David Cantero³, Jordi Giralt⁴, Ricard Mesia⁵, Florencio Monje⁶, Antonio Rueda⁷, Alexander Sistiaga⁸, Jorge Suarez⁹, Alejandro Mut⁹, Marta Comellas¹⁰, Luis Lizán^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Oncology, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
² Hospital Pharmacy, Fundación Onkologikoa, San Sebastián, Spain.
³ Quality and Innovation, Organización Sanitaria Integrada (Integrated Health Organisation) (OSI) Barrualde Galdakao, Galdakao, Spain.
⁴ Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitari Vall d´Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain.
⁵ Medical Oncology, Institut Català d'Oncología, Group Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B-ARGO) Group, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain.
⁶ Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario de Badajoz, Badajoz, Spain.
⁷ Oncology, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
⁸ Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
⁹ Bristol Myers Squibb, Madrid, Spain.
¹⁰ Outcomes'10, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.
¹¹ Medicine Department, Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.

Abstract

Purpose: A systematic, standardized collection of health outcomes during patient treatment and follow-up, relevant from the perspective of all stakeholders, is a crucial step toward effective and efficient disease management. This project aimed to define a standard set of health outcomes for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

Methods: The project was led and coordinated by a scientific committee (SC). It comprised: (1) a literature review (to identify variables used during SCCHN management); (2) 1^st-SC meeting (to select the variables for presentation during nominal groups-NG); (3) five NG (n=42 experts) and four interviews with patients (to reach consensus on the variables for inclusion); and (4) final-SC meeting (to review the results of NG ensuring consensus on the variables where consensus was not reached).

Results: Experts agreed to include the following variables in the standard set: treatment-related (treatment intent and type, response to treatment, treatment toxicity/complication, treatment completion), degree of health (performance status, patient-reported health status, pain, dysphonia, feeding and speech limitations, body image alteration, tracheotomy), survival (overall and progression-free survival, cause of death), nutritional (weight, nutritional intervention), other variables (smoking status, alcohol consumption, patient satisfaction with aftermath care, employment status), and case-mix variables (demographic, tumor-related, clinical and nutritional factors).

Conclusions: This project may pave the way to standardizing the collection of health outcomes in SCCHN and promote the incorporation of patients' perspective in its management. The information provided through the systematic compilation of this standard set may define strategies to achieve high-quality, patient-centered care.

Keywords: head and neck cancer; outcome measurement; patient centricity; patient-centered care; patient-reported outcomes; quality of life.