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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
Late toxicity, evolving radiotherapy techniques, and quality of life in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Luciana Lastrucci1, Silvia Bertocci2, Vittorio Bini3
1Unit of Radiation Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy. luciana.lastrucci@uslsudest.toscana.it.
Purpose:
To analyze quality of life (QoL) and functional state (FS) by patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires (FACT-G, FACT-NP, PSS-HN, XeQOLS, and EQ-5D-3L) in long-term survivors nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with conventional radiotherapy (RT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).
Methods:
25 patients answered to five questionnaires about QoL and FS. All patients were assessed also for late toxicity.
Results:
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and Performance Status Scale Head and Neck (PSS-HN) scores were significantly elevated (better QoL) in age <50 years (p = 0.03). PSS-HN score was higher in IMRT group. The observed xerostomia was lower in the IMRT group and in patients who received conventional RT had worse QoL according to XeQOLS (University of Michigan Xerostomia-Related Quality of Life Scale) score questionnaire. Lower PSS-HN score and higher XeQOLS score were significantly related with the late xerostomia (p = 0.009 and 0.002, respectively).
Conclusions:
Our preliminary data suggest that age, older techniques, xerostomia, and hearing loss are negative predictors of QoL.
