Evaluation of factors affecting health-related quality of life in patients treated for oral cancer

Abstract This study aimed to clarify the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with oral cancer and elucidate the factors that affect HRQOL. The participants were 14 male and 10 female patients who underwent definitive surgery. The patients’ mean age was 68.2 years. A total of 21 oral cancer cases (87.5%) were in the early stages (stages 0-II), and 15 (62.5%) to tongue cancer. This study’s assessments were conducted using HRQOL questionnaires (e.g., the SF-8 and EORTC QLQ Head&Neck35(QLQ-H&N35)) and the Beck Depression Inventory—second edition (BDI-II) along with evaluations of speech, mastication, and swallowing function. The evaluations were performed before surgery and one month, three months, and six months after surgery. There was no significant change in the SF-8 and BDI-II scores during the study period. However, the scores for pain, speech problems, social contact, and coughing within the QLQ-H&N35 significantly increased post-surgery. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between almost all SF-8 scores and some QLQ-H&N35 scores. Speech intelligibility and masticatory and swallowing functions were significantly correlated with speech problems, social eating, and swallowing within the QLQ-H&N35. These results indicate that disease-specific and site-specific HRQOL decline as a result of oral dysfunction.