Global quality of life during the acute toxicity phase of multimodality treatment for patients with head and neck cancer: Can we identify patients most at risk of profound quality of life decline?

Quality of life following surgery for head and neck cancer: Evidence from ACRIN 6685

BACKGROUND

This study examined the trajectory of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with clinical stage N0 HNSCC enrolled in ACRIN 6685 who underwent elective neck dissection(s).

METHODS

HRQoL of 230 patients in the ACRIN 6685 trial was measured prospectively up to 2 years following surgery using the University of Washington Quality of Life instrument.

RESULTS

General Health Within the Last 7 Days did not differ significantly from baseline at any follow-up. General Health Relative to Before Cancer fell significantly by 5.8 points following surgery (p = 0.048), and then returned to 3.0 points above baseline at 1 year (p = 0.65). For Overall Quality of Life, HRQoL fell significantly by 4.3 points following surgery (p = 0.031) and then returned to levels not significantly different from baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with stage N0 HNSCC experience significant declines in HRQoL immediately following surgery, including neck dissection, which recovers to near or better than baseline within 1-2 years.

Ex Vivo Functional Assay for Evaluating Treatment Response in Tumor Tissue of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) displays a large heterogeneity in treatment response, and consequently in patient prognosis. Despite extensive efforts, no clinically validated model is available to predict tumor response. Here we describe a functional test for predicting tumor response to radiation and chemotherapy on the level of the individual patient.

METHODS

Resection material of 17 primary HNSCC patients was cultured ex vivo, irradiated or cisplatin-treated, after which the effect on tumor cell vitality was analyzed several days after treatment.

RESULTS

Ionizing radiation (IR) affected tumor cell growth and viability with a clear dose-response relationship, and marked heterogeneity between tumors was observed. After a single dose of 5Gy, proliferation in IR-sensitive tumors dropped below 30% of the untreated level, while IR-resistant tumors maintained at least 60% of proliferation. IR-sensitive tumors showed on average a twofold increase in apoptosis, as well as an increased number and size of DNA damage foci after treatment. No differences in the homologous recombination (HR) proficiency between IR-sensitive and -resistant tumors were detected. Cisplatin caused a decrease in proliferation, as well as induction of apoptosis, again with marked variation between the samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our functional ex vivo assay discriminated between IR-sensitive and IR-resistant HNSCC tumors, and may also be suitable for predicting response to cisplatin. Its predictive value is currently under investigation in a prospective clinical study.

Molecular response to induction chemotherapy and its correlation with treatment outcome in head and neck cancer patients by means of NMR-based metabolomics

Background

The aim of this prospective study is to identify the biomarkers associated with the effects of induction chemotherapy (iCHT) in terms of the favorable/weaker response to the treatment in locally advanced head and neck squamous cells carcinomas (LA-HNSCC).

Methods

The studied group consisted of 53 LA-HNSCC patients treated with iCHT. The treatment tolerance was measured by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The response to the treatment was evaluated by the clinical, fiberoptic and radiological examinations made before and after iCHT (the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors was used for classifying the extent of cancer spread). Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) serum spectra of the samples collected before and after iCHT were acquired with a 400 MHz spectrometer and analyzed using the multivariate and univariate statistical methods.

Results

The molecular response to iCHT involves an increase of the serum lipids which is accompanied by the simultaneous decrease of alanine, glucose and N-acetyl-glycoprotein (NAG). Furthermore, in males, the iCHT induced changes in the lipid signals and NAG significantly correlate with the regression of the primary tumor. The OPLS-DA multivariate model identified two subgroups of the patients with a weaker metabolic and clinical response. The first one consisted of the patients with a significantly lower initial nodal stage, the second one showed no differences in the initial clinical and metabolic statuses.

Conclusions

The NMR-based metabolomic study of the serum spectra revealed that iCHT induces the marked changes in the LA-HNSCC patients’ metabolic profiles and makes it possible to stratify the patients according to their response to iCHT. These effects are sex dependent. Further studies on a larger scale accounting for sex and the clinical and metabolic factors are warranted.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08137-4.

Parotid sparing and quality of life in long-term survivors of locally advanced head and neck cancer after intensity-modulated radiation therapy

PURPOSE

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) enables radiation oncologists to optimally spare organs at risk while achieving homogeneous dose distribution in the target volume. Despite great advances in technology, xerostomia is one of the most detrimental long-term side effects after multimodal therapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). This prospective observational study examines the effect of parotid sparing on quality of life in long-term survivors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 138 patients were grouped into unilateral (n = 75) and bilateral (n = 63) parotid sparing IMRT and questioned at 3, 24, and 60-month follow-up using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires. Treatment-related toxicity was scored according to the RTOG/EORTC toxicity criteria. Patients' QoL 24 and 60 months after IMRT was analyzed by ANCOVA using baseline QoL (3 months after IMRT) as a covariate.

RESULTS

Patients with bilateral and unilateral parotid-sparing IMRT surviving 60 months experience similar acute and late side effects and similar changes in QoL. Three months after IMRT, physical and emotional function as well as fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, and financial problems are below (function scales) or above (symptom scales) the threshold of clinical importance. In both groups, symptom burden (EORTC H&N35) is high independent of parotid sparing 3 months after IMRT and decreases over time in a similar pattern. Pain and financial function remain burdensome throughout.

CONCLUSION

Long-term HNC survivors show a similar treatment-related toxicity profile independent of unilateral vs. bilateral parotid-sparing IMRT. Sparing one or both parotids had no effect on global QoL nor on the magnitude of changes in function and symptom scales over the observation period of 60 months. The financial impact of the disease and its detrimental effect on long-term QoL pose an additional risk to unmet needs in this special patient population. These results suggest that long-term survivors need and most likely will benefit from early medical intervention and support within survivorship programs.

Health-related quality of life of patients with squamous cell carcinoma: a comparison according to tumor location

The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (QOL) of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) according to tumor location. The sample consisted of 27 patients with primary SCC in the oral cavity (n = 15), pharynx (n = 7), and larynx (n = 5) who were undergoing cancer treatment at the Cancer Hospital of Londrina, regardless of age, sex, clinical stage, and type of antineoplastic treatment. Health-related QOL was evaluated using the 30-item Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), the 35-item Head and Neck Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-HN35), and the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL). These questionnaires were administered individually to each patient before ambulatory care. Sociodemographic data (age and sex) and clinical data (T stage, tumor location, and type of antineoplastic treatment) were collected from the patients' medical records. Scores were compared according to tumor location using the chi-squared test and one-way analysis of variance (p < 0.05). No score differed significantly according to tumor location. It can be concluded that the health-related QOL of patients with SCC was not influenced by tumor location.

Quality of life of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with induction chemotherapy followed by cisplatin-containing chemoradiotherapy in the Dutch CONDOR study: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose

The CONDOR study showed that docetaxel/cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (TPF) followed by conventional radiotherapy with cisplatin 100 mg/m² on days 1, 22, and 43 (cis100 + RT; n = 27)) versus accelerated radiotherapy with cisplatin weekly 40 mg/m² (cis40 + ART; n = 29) in locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) patients was not feasible. Here, we report the analysis of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the patients entered in this study.

Methods

HRQOL was assessed at baseline, after two TPF, before start of chemoradiotherapy, and 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 months after completion of chemoradiotherapy using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 in 62 patients.

Results

Compliance with the QOL questionnaires was 94% (59/62) at baseline and 61% (30/49) at 12 months, respectively. HRQOL decreased after TPF and further decreased during chemoradiohteray in both arms equally. Pain and swallowing dysfunction improved significantly during TPF but deteriorated below baseline levels during chemoradiotherapy, cis40 + ART > cis100 + RT (p < 0.05). HRQOL and symptoms restored to baseline within 12 months in both arms and remained at that level until 24 months.

Conclusions

After TPF, cis40 + ART had a larger negative impact on symptoms than cis100 + RT, probably due to the ART. HRQOL and symptoms restored to baseline levels within 12 months after end of treatment in both arms, which is an important perspective for patients during the phase of most serious acute side effects of treatment.

Trial registration: NCT00774319.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00520-017-3946-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Determinants for aggressive end-of-life care for oral cancer patients: a population-based study in an Asian country

Few studies have addressed the association between oral cancer and end-of-life (EOL) aggressive care using population data. We investigated the relationship between patient demographics, primary physician's specialty, and hospital characteristics of patients who died from oral cancer in Taiwan from 2009 to 2011 and the aggressiveness of their EOL care. This nationwide population-based, retrospective cohort study identified 5386 patients who died from oral cancer identified from Taiwan's National Register of Deaths Database and collected their claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Accepted indicators of aggressiveness of EOL care were examined using a composite measure adapted from Earle et al. Scores ranged from 0 to 6; the higher the score, the more aggressive the EOL care. The impact of each variable on the aggressiveness of EOL care was examined by multivariate analysis using a random-intercept model. The mean composite score for aggressiveness of EOL care was 2.68 ± 1.37. Oral cancer patients who were younger, had a higher level of comorbidity or metastasis, belonged to a lower-level individual socioeconomic status, were cared for by nononcologists, had longer postdiagnosis survival times, or resided in urban areas were more likely to receive aggressive care at EOL. Compared with previous studies, oral cancer patients near death in this nationwide study had a far higher utilization rate (>50%) of chemotherapy, emergency room services, and intensive care unit services. Our findings indicate that oral cancer patients receive extensive aggressive medical care at EOL. Future research may be needed to examine the effect of the means (indicators) of aggressive treatment on survival, quality of life, and medical costs, especially since current research suggests such care may adversely affect quality of life and important preparation of death in these patients.

Adjuvant simultaneous integrated boost IMRT for patients with intermediate- and high-risk head and neck cancer: outcome, toxicities and patterns of failure

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate loco-regional control, survival, toxicities and patterns of failure of adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients according to risk features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

129 HNC patients who were treated between January 2001 and June 2010 at our institute with adjuvant SIB-IMRT with or without concurrent chemotherapy (CTX-SIB-IMRT) were included. High-risk (HR) patients with extracapsular tumor extension (ECE) and/or close resection margins had CTX-SIB-IMRT to 54/63.9 Gy and intermediate-risk (IR) patients had SIB-IMRT to 50/56 Gy. The primary endpoints were local (LC) and regional control (RC). Secondary endpoints included distant control rate (DC), overall survival (OS), acute and late toxicities and patterns of failure.

RESULTS

79/129 Patients were HR. 50/129 patients IR. 5-year LC was 87% and 89%, RC was 97% and 86%, DC was 95% and 77% and the OS 73% and 67% for IR and HR respectively. 43 deaths occurred. Acute toxicity CTCAE⩾grade 3 was observed in 55% and 56% and late toxicities in 10% and 15% of the IR and HR-group respectively. Fifteen patients developed loco-regional failure.

CONCLUSION

We observed significantly more patients with distant metastases in the HR group and no difference in LC, RC or OS between the two groups. The majority of the analyzed recurrences were in-field, in the high dose volume. Acute and late toxicity was moderate.

Multimodal guided self-help exercise program to prevent speech, swallowing, and shoulder problems among head and neck cancer patients: a feasibility study

Background

During a 6-week course of (chemo)radiation many head and neck cancer patients have to endure radiotherapy-induced toxicity, negatively affecting patients’ quality of life. Pretreatment counseling combined with self-help exercises could be provided to inform patients and possibly prevent them from having speech, swallowing, and shoulder problems during and after treatment.

Objective

Our goal was to investigate the feasibility of a multimodal guided self-help exercise program entitled Head Matters during (chemo)radiation in head and neck cancer patients.

Methods

Head and neck cancer patients treated with primary (chemo)radiation or after surgery were asked to perform Head Matters at home. This prophylactic exercise program, offered in three different formats, aims to reduce the risk of developing speech, swallowing, shoulder problems, and a stiff neck. Weekly coaching was provided by a speech and swallowing therapist. Patients filled out a diary to keep track of their exercise activity. To gain insight into possible barriers and facilitators to exercise adherence, reports of weekly coaching sessions were analyzed by 2 coders independently.

Results

Of 41 eligible patients, 34 patients were willing to participate (83% uptake). Of participating patients, 21 patients completed the program (64% adherence rate). The majority of participants (58%) had a moderate to high level of exercise performance. Exercise performance level was not significantly associated with age (P=.50), gender (P=.42), tumor subsite (P=1.00) or tumor stage (P=.20), treatment modality (P=.72), or Head Matters format (Web-based or paper) (P=1.00). Based on patients’ diaries and weekly coaching sessions, patients’ perceived barriers to exercise were a decreased physical condition, treatment-related barriers, emotional problems, lack of motivation, social barriers, and technical problems. Patients’ perceived facilitators included an increased physical condition, feeling motivated, and social and technical facilitators.

Conclusions

Head Matters, a multimodal guided self-help exercise program is feasible for head and neck cancer patients undergoing (chemo)radiation. Several barriers (decreased physical condition, treatment-related barriers) and facilitators (increased physical condition, feeling motivated) were identified providing directions for future studies. The next step is conducting a study investigating the (cost-)effectiveness of Head Matters on speech, swallowing, shoulder function, and quality of life.