Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life After Chemoradiotherapy: Baseline and 3 and 6 Months Post-Treatment

Concomitant chemoradiotherapy provides organ preservation for those patients with head and neck cancer. We report the results of a prospective study that examined functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) after chemoradiotherapy over the first 6 months post-treatment (tx). Twenty-nine patients with head and neck cancer were treated with chemoradiotherapy. All were seen baseline and 3 and 6 months post-tx. Assessments included the performance status scale (PSS), Karnofsky performance status scale, tongue strength, jaw opening, and saliva weight. QOL was patient-rated using the eating assessment tool (EAT-10), MD Anderson dysphagia inventory, speech handicap index (SHI), and the EORTC H&N35 scale. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used, with significance at p