Quality of life of elderly patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancers, including assessment of geriatric parameters.

6100 Background: Data on the quality of life of older patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) for head and neck (H&N) cancer are very scarce and no study has focused specifically on them. Furthermore, no study has assessed the contribution of geriatric symptoms to their quality of life. Methods: We prospectively assessed patients aged 65 and older undergoing curative intent CCRT for H&N cancers, either alone or adjuvantly after surgery. We used the Quality of life-Radiation Therapy Instrument (QOL-RTI), with its H&N module (Trotti et al., 1998). In addition we created a 12-items senior adult questionnaire (SAQ). Patients were assessed at baseline, at 4 weeks, at the end of treatment (EOT), and 2 months after EOT (recovery). Results: Fifty patients were enrolled. Median age was 69 years (range 65-87). Eighty-two percent of patients had locally advanced stage IV disease. Twenty-eight percent had prior surgery. All patients were treated with IMRT, 92% at 70 Gy. The most frequent chemoth...