[Posttherapeutic quality of life after treatment of salivary gland cancer].

BACKGROUND

In addition to overall survival and recurrence-free interval, posttherapeutic quality of life has been established as an independent criterion for treatment evaluation. Thereby, both the specific changes in the head and neck region and their objectification represent a particular challenge for the assessment of quality of life. There are different validated questionnaires available.

OBJECTIVE

Based on the literature, an overview of the relevant questionnaire instruments is given and the specific aspects in patients with salivary gland cancer are presented.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A selective literature search was conducted to collect publications dealing with the assessment of health-related quality of life in head and neck tumor patients. The papers were critically appraised and summarized.

RESULTS

There are some validated questionnaires available to measure quality of life in patients with head and neck tumors as well as a few specific questionnaires for patients after parotidectomy.

CONCLUSION

By assessing quality of life using standardized questionnaire instruments, disease and treatment consequences can be objectified. Thus, the need for supportive measures, e.g., for rehabilitation in facial nerve palsy, can be identified more reliably.