Oral health-related quality of life following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Abstract

Oral complications following conventional radiotherapy to the head and neck are substantial and seriously affect patient quality of life. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is considered to yield fewer complications and thus may be less deleterious to oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Objective: To assess the impact of IMRT on the OHRQoL of southern Chinese with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Method: 58 newly diagnosed southern Chinese NPC patients (41 males, 17 females; mean age 47±10 years; Tumour stage T1 or 2) took part in a prospective study. Evaluation points were before IMRT, then 2, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after treatment. At each session, participants completed the OHIP-49 questionnaire. Repeated measures ANOVA test was used to compare changes over time. Results: At 2 months, there were significant increases across all mean OHIP subscale and summary scores (P<0.01). At 6 months, physical pain, psychological discomfort and social disability scores returned to baseline. Functional limitation, psychological disability and handicap scores returned to baseline at 18 months while OHIP summary scores returned at 24 months. Physical disability score reduced over time after treatment but remained higher than baseline at 24 months (P<0.01). Conclusion: With the exception of physical disability, OHRQoL of NPC patients appeared to be recovered 2 years after IMRT.