Faculty Collaboration Database

Prioritizing treatment outcomes: head and neck cancer patients versus nonpatients. Head Neck 2004 Feb;26(2):163-70

Date

02/06/2004

Pubmed ID

14762885

DOI

10.1002/hed.10367

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-10744232883 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   66 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Treatment decisions in head and neck cancer (HNC) might involve consideration of uncertain tradeoffs of one late effect against another or increasing toxicity or residual impairment for increased chance of survival. Understanding how patients prioritize potential outcomes, as well as whether these preferences are similar to those of nonpatients, is important to informed decision making and treatment planning.

METHODS: Two hundred forty-seven newly diagnosed HNC patients from nine institutions and 131 nonpatients rank ordered a set of 12 potential treatment outcomes (eg, cure; being able to swallow; normal voice) from highest (1) to lowest (12).

RESULTS: Patients and nonpatients were similar with respect to the three items most frequently ranked in the top three, that is, "being cured of cancer," "living as long as possible," and "having no pain" in that order. In contrast, patients more frequently ranked "cure" (90% vs 80%) and less frequently ranked "no pain" (34% vs 52%) in the top three.

CONCLUSIONS: Survival seems to be of paramount importance to both patient and nonpatient groups, overshadowing associated toxicities and potential dysfunction. At the same time, patients might be more willing than nonpatients to undergo aggressive treatments and endure acute distress in the interest of potential long-term gains (ie, cure or longer survival).

Author List

List MA, Rutherford JL, Stracks J, Pauloski BR, Logemann JA, Lundy D, Sullivan P, Goodwin W, Kies M, Vokes EE

Author

Barbara R. Pauloski PhD, CCC-SLP Associate Professor in the Communication Sciences & Disorders department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Health
Deglutition
Female
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Humans
Male
Mastication
Middle Aged
Pain
Quality of Life
Speech Intelligibility
Survival Rate
Taste
Treatment Outcome
Voice