Comparative analysis of quality-of-life metrics after endoscopic surgery for sinonasal neoplasms

The objective of this study was to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QOL) after endoscopic resection of sinus and skull base neoplasms using validated outcomes measures and to perform correlation of the various metrics to better discern their efficacy. Prospective QOL data collection and retrospective chart review were performed.

QOL data were collected using the 20-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20), Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire (ASBQ), European Quality-of-Life-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic (LKE) score in 71 patients with sinonasal and skull base tumors.

The mean age was 53 years and mean follow-up was 14.5 months at the time QOL data were collected. Benign and malignant tumors represented 39 (54.9%) and 32 (45.1%) cases, respectively. Twenty malignancies (62.5%) were stage T3 or T4, and 23 required postoperative chemotherapy and radiation (CRT). Factors indicating worsened postoperative QOL included malignant histopathology, T3 or T4 tumors, and the use of postoperative CRT (p < 0.05). There was a strong correlation of ASBQ with EQ-5D and SNOT-20 scores (r < -0.5) and a moderate correlation between the SNOT-20 and EQ-5D (r > 0.3), and the LKE had moderate correlation with SNOT-20 (r > 0.3) and weak correlation to the ASBQ (r > -0.3) and EQ-5D (r < 0.3).

Patients who have undergone endoscopic resection of sinonasal tumors have quantifiable QOL changes as measured by various validated metrics. This study shows that concurrent use of these instruments may better discern QOL outcomes after endoscopic tumor surgery.