MALNUTRITION AND FOOD-INTAKE IN RELATION TO QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN HEAD AND NECK-CANCER PATIENTS

Background. The quality of life (QL)of cancer patients has attracted a n increasing interest in recent years. Patients with head and neck can cer often have troublesome symptoms due to the disease and to treatmen t side effects, which will have an impact on the patient's QL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of studying QL in relat ion to well-known clinical parameters. Methods. Patient's QL was evalu ated according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) combined with a diagnosis-specific questionnaire. Quality of life was measured in a cross section of head and neck cancer patients (n = 48) and rela ted to nutritional status, energy intake, severity of disease, and 2-y ear survival. Results. Fifty-one percent of the patients (mean age, 67 years) fulfilled the criteria proposed for malnutrition, and 55% had a negative energy balance. We did not find any correlation between the severity of the cancer disease and the patient's self-rated QL. Howev er, we found significantly better QL ratings among the 2-year survivor s (mean, 63; range 52-76 versus mean, 42; range, 31-54; p < .05). Ther e were few correlations between the QL items and malnutrition.Conclusi ons. Quality of life measurements offer objective information on well- being, sometimes quite opposite that of other clinical parameters, suc h as tumor stage. Furthermore, QL measurements may be of prognostic va lue concerning the survival of head and neck cancer patients. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.