QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE PATIENTS TREATED WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Health

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Bangladesh where head and neck cancer is quite frequent among several types of cancer. Several researches already established that head and neck cancer creates significant impacts on an individual to perform the daily living activities. The purpose of the study is to identify the quality of life of the patients treated with head and neck cancer. A cross sectional study was conducted among 15 patients treated with head and neck cancer through Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Head and Neck (FACT- H&N) questionnaire to identify various aspects of quality of life which includes physical, emotional, functional, and social well-being as well as specific additional concern that particularly focus on communication and swallowing. Data was collected through face to face interview of the participants who completed their treatment. Among the participants 93 % were male and 7% were female where maximum (40%) were 56-65 years old. Most of the participants (74%) diagnosed with laryngeal carcinoma where majority (53%) of the participants treated through radiotherapy. The study identified head and neck cancer and its treatment generates adverse impact on all aspects of quality of life where specifically 33% had significant swallowing and eating problem, 40% had considerable voice problem and overall 67% participants experienced different types of communication difficulty. The result suggest that inability of communication, voice problem, swallowing and eating difficulty act as catalyst which impact on physical, emotional, functional and social well-being of patients treated with head and neck cancer.

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