Quality of Life in Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis of Patient Characteristics and Treatment Modalities

Abstract

Background: In patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), understanding the factors affecting post-treatment quality of life (QoL) is essential for optimizing long-term management. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of patient characteristics and treatment modalities on post-treatment QoL in patients with OPSCC.

Patients and methods: A total of 303 patients with OPSCC who completed treatment were assessed for QoL between August 2023 and January 2024 using various validated questionnaires. In addition, patient charts were reviewed.

Results: Lower QoL was associated with older age, female sex, lower education, reduced income, fewer household members, unemployment, less than 5 years since diagnosis, advanced stage, disease recurrence, and human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative status. Robotic surgery and surgery alone were associated with better QoL than conventional surgery or surgery with adjuvant therapy. Radiotherapy is associated with additional issues, such as dry mouth and sticky saliva. Fewer patients who underwent surgery with adjuvant therapy reported tooth and dry mouth issues than those who received definitive chemoradiotherapy. In subgroup analyses, QoL in HPV-positive patients mirrored that of the overall cohort, whereas no significant differences were noted between treatment modalities in HPV-negative patients. Similarly, in the early stage group, HPV-positive patients had better QoL than HPV-negative patients; however, no significant differences were observed on the basis of HPV status or treatment modality in advanced-stage patients.

Conclusions: Sociodemographic factors, clinicopathological characteristics, and treatment modalities significantly impacted the post-treatment QoL of patients with OPSCC. Individualized treatment planning and comprehensive post-treatment care are crucial for optimizing QoL, particularly in patients at higher risk of poorer outcomes.