The Quality of Life of Patients After Total Laryngectomy

Nader Saki¹, Soheila Nikakhlagh^1*, Somyeh Araghi² and Zeinab Khanifer³

¹Associated Professor of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing & Speech Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. ²Resident of otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. ³General Physician, Cancer Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1611

ABSTRACT: Laryngeal cancer surgery often includes a total laryngectomy that has many anatomical and functional consequences such as changes in voice quality, and communication and speech intelligibility of patients. The larynx not only affects all aspects of life of patients, but also it is effective in family and friends around the patient, as well. This study aimed to assess quality of life after surgery using common methods. In this descriptive cross-sectional study 186 patients diagnosed as having laryngeal cancer and undergone laryngectomy surgery during 1995 to 2007 in two hospitals in Ahvaz: Imam Khomeini and Apadana, were studied in terms of quality of life after surgery. Data collection tools were the EORTC Scale QL-C30 and the QLH&NC-35 Scale version 3. The questionnaire was given to the patient in four stages. The first stage at the time of diagnosis of cancer of the larynx, the second stage in the midst of postoperative radiotherapy treatment, the third stage, three months after the completion of the process of treatment and the fourth stage six months after completion of treatment. The desired variables in evaluating the quality of life after the total laryngectomy included age, sex, eating, speaking, and happiness. Data were analyzed using SPSS16; furthermore, qualitative assessment and quantitative evaluation were conducted using Chi square test and t- test, respectively. Out of the 186 patients 169 (90.86%) and 17 people (9.14%) were male and women, respectively. The age range of the patients was from 28 to 90 years and with a mean age of 63 years. Of the 186 cases 91 (48.9%), 48 (25.8%), 39 (20.9%), and eight people (4.4%) were with transglottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, glottis involvement, and subglottic cancer, respectively. Also had 81% of patients were in the third stage and 19% of the patients were in the fourth stage. The completion of treatment causes to patient backs to a normal situation. In patients with advanced laryngeal cancer the total laryngectomy surgery affects the patients’ quality of life and their family and friends. Regarding the status of the eating and speaking and happiness the process of returning the patient to a normal situation can be better by completing the treatment.

KEYWORDS: Laryngeal cancer; Total laryngectomy; Quality of life; QLH&NC-35 Scale

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