Quality of life and functional status measures in patients with head and neck cancer

Objective: To assess the relationship among three validated head and neck- specific measures of functional status and a general measure of quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer. Design: Cross-sectional study using medical chart review, patient interview, and test administration. Setting: Academic tertiary referral center. Participants: Fifty adult patients 3 months to 6 years after major surgery for head and neck cancer. Main Outcome Measure: Scores from a general measure of quality of life (the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy), a subscale specific to head and neck cancer, the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients. Results: The disease-specific measures of functional status correlate well with one another. However, there were low correlations between the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy and the disease-specific measures, indicating that general and disease-specific instruments contribute unique information about quality of life. Conclusion: A general measure of quality of life augments information obtained by disease-specific instruments by interpreting functional status in the broader scope of the patient's life.