Comparative evaluation of quality of life in oral cancer patients undergoing 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy with or without concomitant chemotherapy - A longitudinal study

Prajakta M Parate; Aarti M Mahajan; Nilima Prakash; G L Pradeep; Shirin H Harnekar; Vaishali A Sadhwani

doi:10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_39_23

Comparative evaluation of quality of life in oral cancer patients undergoing 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy with or without concomitant chemotherapy - A longitudinal study

J Cancer Res Ther. 2024 Jan 22. doi: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_39_23. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Prajakta M Parate¹, Aarti M Mahajan, Nilima Prakash, G L Pradeep, Shirin H Harnekar, Vaishali A Sadhwani

Affiliation

¹ Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, M.G.V's K.B.H Dental College and Hospital, Nashik, Maharashtra, India.

PMID: 38261435
DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_39_23

Abstract

Objectives: To assess and compare the quality of life (QOL) in Oral Cancer patients undergoing 3-DCRT with or without concomitant Chemotherapy at three different time intervals.

Materials and methods: This unicentric longitudinal study included 50 patients of oral cancer undergoing 3-DCRT with or without concomitant chemotherapy. QOL was recorded using the EORTC H and N 35 Questionnaire at baseline, end of treatment (EOT), and 3 months after treatment.

Results: Maximum deterioration of most QOL domains were noted at End of treatment (EOT) in all the patients. A highly statistically significant difference was noted between different time intervals with the highest scores noted at the EOT (P < 0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in patients undergoing 3DCRT with chemotherapy when compared to those with 3DCRT without chemotherapy (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: There is substantial deterioration in QOL at the EOT after head-neck irradiation by 3-DCRT with or without concomitant Chemotherapy although it gradually improves over time. However, 3DCRT results in clinically meaningful and statistically better QOL scores at 3 months after treatment compared to baseline and EOT.