INFLUENCE OF LATE SIDE-EFFECTS UPON DAILY-LIFE AFTER RADIOTHERAPY FORLARYNGEAL AND PHARYNGEAL CANCER

The influence on daily life from long-term side-effects was studied in patients treated more than 5 years ago with radiotherapy for laryngea l and pharyngeal cancer. Forty-six patients were asked to participate in telephone interviews and 44 participated. Only a minority (10%) sta ted serious problems related to the treatment. Problems related to the voice and severe xerostomia were especially mentioned. Half of the pa tients treated for pharyngeal cancer, complained of xerostomia and had occasionally a feeling of being handicapped. Social relations were im paired in 10% of the patients and 10% had retired due to their cancer or therapy related side-effects. It is concluded that radiotherapy see ms to be a well tolerated treatment with relatively little impairment of the daily life in patients with laryngeal cancer. In patients with pharyngeal cancer, xerostomia is a major problem, which often persists more than 5 years after treatment.