Barriers to and Facilitators of Return to Work in Head and Neck Cancer Patients with in the First Six Months Post-Treatment

Abstract Objective To identify the factors associated with barriers to and facilitators of return to work (RTW) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients in the first six months post-treatment. Methods This cross-sectional study examined HNC patients who completed treatment from the outpatient radiation department of a single cancer center in northern Taiwan from October 2018 to July 2020. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, and patients were assessed using the Return to Work Barrier Scale, Return to Work Facilitator Scale, Distress Thermometer, Numeric Rating Scale, and Karnofsky Performance Status Scale questionnaires. Results Of the 106 HNC patients surveyed, 54.7% successfully RTW. Barriers to RTW included patient-perceived worst health status, greater symptom burden, and age ≥55 years. These factors explained 34.6% of the variance in overall barriers to RTW. Facilitators of RTW were lower psychological distress and who did not receive reconstruction surgery. These factors explained 17.9% of the variance in facilitators to RTW. Conclusion Patient-perceived health status and age most strongly influence RTW in HNC patients. HNC patients who can RTW should be encouraged to do so, and clinician awareness of potential barriers can aid patients in their RTW.

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Survey of return to work of head and neck cancer survivors: A report from a tertiary cancer center in India

Head & Neck ◽

10.1002/hed.24703 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (5) ◽

pp. 893-899 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Jaiprakash Agarwal ◽

Rahul Krishnatry ◽

Pankaj Chaturvedi ◽

Sarbani Ghosh-Laskar ◽

Tejpal Gupta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Return To Work ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Tertiary Cancer Center

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Assessment of peri- and postoperative complications and Karnofsky-performance status in head and neck cancer patients after radiation or chemoradiation that underwent surgery with regional or free-flap reconstruction for salvage, palliation, or to improve function

Radiation Oncology ◽

10.1186/1748-717x-6-109 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Christian Simon ◽

Cem Bulut ◽

Philippe A Federspil ◽

Marc W Münter ◽

Katja Lindel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Postoperative Complications ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Free Flap ◽

Karnofsky Performance Status ◽

Performance Status ◽

Flap Reconstruction ◽

Free Flap Reconstruction

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Translation and adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of the Lymphedema Rating Scale in Head and Neck Cancer

Einstein (São Paulo) ◽

10.1590/s1679-45082017ao3995 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 457-464 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Débora dos Santos Queija ◽

Lica Arakawa-Sugueno ◽

Bruna Mello Chamma ◽

Marco Aurélio Vamondes Kulcsar ◽

Rogério Aparecido Dedivitis

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Physical Therapist ◽

Brazilian Portuguese ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Final Version ◽

Back Translation ◽

Md Anderson

ABSTRACT Objective: Translate to brazilian portuguese, culturally adapt and test the rating and classification scales of cervicofacial lymphedema of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Head and Neck Lymphedema Protocol (MDACC HNL) in patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer. Methods: The process followed international guidelines and translation stages by two head and neck surgeons, and back translation independently by two native Americans. The test of final version was based on the evaluation of 18 patients by one speech pathologist and one physical therapist who applied the scales in Portuguese. Results: The translation of the three scales was carried out independently and the translators reached a consensus for the final version. Minor modifications were made by translating two terms into the Assessment of the Face. Versions of back-translation were similar to each other. The instrument was successfully applied to patients independently. Conclusion: The translation and cultural adaptation of the assessment and rating scale of the cervicofacial lymphedema of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Head and Neck Lymphedema Protocol to the Brazilian Portuguese were successful.

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Prognostic Factors Predict Oncological Outcome in Older Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiation Treatment

Frontiers in Oncology ◽

10.3389/fonc.2020.566318 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Author(s):

Carmen Stromberger ◽

Berna Yedikat ◽

Annekatrin Coordes ◽

Ingeborg Tinhofer ◽

Goda Kalinauskaite ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Older Patients ◽

Karnofsky Performance Status ◽

Performance Status ◽

Treatment Decision ◽

Oncological Outcome ◽

Treatment Decision Making ◽

Treatment Data

PurposeOlder patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) represent a challenging group, as frailty and comorbidities need to be considered. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of curative and palliative (chemo) radiation ([C]RT) with regard to basic geriatric screening in older patients.MethodsThis study included HNC patients aged ≥70 years who were treated with curative or palliative (C)RT. Clinicopathological data including Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Karnofsky performance status (KPS), and treatment data were analyzed as predictors of overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 271 patients (median age, 74 years) were enrolled. The majority had UICC stage III/IV (90%) and underwent curative treatment (85.2%). A total of 144 (53.1%) patients received definitive and 87 (32.1%) had adjuvant (C)RT. Overall, 40 patients (14.8%) received palliative (C)RT. Median follow-up duration (curative setting) was 87 months, and the 2- and 5-year OS rates were 57.8 and 35.9%, respectively. Median OS was significantly different for age ≤75 vs. >75 years, CCI <6 vs. ≥6, KPS ≥70 vs. <70%, Tx/T1/T2 vs. T3/T4, and adjuvant vs. definitive (C)RT, respectively. Age 70–75 years (p = 0.004), fewer comorbidities when CCI < 6 (p = 0.014), good KPS ≥ 70% (p = 0.001), and adjuvant (C)RT (p = 0.008) independently predicted longer survival. Palliative RT resulted in a median OS of 4 months.ConclusionOlder age, lower KPS, higher CCI, and definitive (C)RT are indicators of worse survival in older patients with HNC treated curatively. Without a comprehensive geriatric assessment in patients aged >75 years, the KPS and CCI can be useful tools to account for “fitness, vulnerability or frailty” to help in treatment decision-making.

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Swedish National Multicenter Study on Head and Neck Cancer of Unknown Primary: Prognostic Factors and Impact of Treatment on Survival

International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1712106 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lars Axelsson ◽

Erik Holmberg ◽

Jan Nyman ◽

Anders Högmo ◽

Helena Sjödin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Prognostic Factors ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Dissection ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Multicenter Study ◽

Performance Status ◽

Cancer Of Unknown Primary ◽

Unknown Primary ◽

N Stage

Abstract Introduction Head and neck cancer of unknown primary (HNCUP) is a rare condition whose prognostic factors that are significant for survival vary between studies. No randomized treatment study has been performed thus far, and the optimal treatment is not established. Objective The present study aimed to explore various prognostic factors and compare the two main treatments for HNCUP: neck dissection and (chemo) radiation vs primary (chemo) radiation. Methods A national multicenter study was performed with data from the Swedish Head and Neck Cancer Register (SweHNCR) and from the patients' medical records from 2008 to 2012. Results Two-hundred and sixty HNCUP patients were included. The tumors were HPV-positive in 80%. The overall 5-year survival rate of patients treated with curative intent was 71%. Age (p < 0.001), performance status (p= 0.036), and N stage (p= 0.046) were significant factors for overall survival according to the multivariable analysis. Treatment with neck dissection and (chemo) radiation (122 patients) gave an overall 5-year survival of 73%, and treatment with primary (chemo) radiation (87 patients) gave an overall 5-year survival of 71%, with no significant difference in overall or disease-free survival between the 2 groups. Conclusions Age, performance status, and N stage were significant prognostic factors. Treatment with neck dissection and (chemo) radiation and primary (chemo) radiation gave similar survival outcomes. A randomized treatment study that includes quality of life is needed to establish the optimal treatment.

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Increasing Mean Age of Head and Neck Cancer Patients at a German Tertiary Referral Center

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13040832 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 832

Author(s):

Julius M. Vahl ◽

Marlene C. Wigand ◽

Michael Denkinger ◽

Dhayana Dallmeier ◽

Chiara Steiger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Catchment Area ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Tertiary Referral ◽

Tertiary Referral Center ◽

Referral Center ◽

The Impact

Background: The impact of demographic change on the age at diagnosis in German head and neck cancer (HNC) patients is unclear. Here we present an evaluation of aging trends in HNC at a tertiary referral center. Methods: Retrospective cohort study on aging trends at the initial diagnosis of newly diagnosed patients with HNC between 2004 and 2018 at the head and neck cancer center Ulm in relation to demographic data of the catchment area. Results: The study population consisted of 2450 individuals diagnosed with HNC with a mean age of 62.84 (±11.67) years. We observed a significant increase in annual incidence rates and mean age over time. Mean age among HNC patients increased significantly more than among the population in the catchment area. Whereas the incidence rate of patients <50 years did not change, the incidence of HNC patients aged ≥70 years increased the most. The mean patient age in the main tumor sites increased significantly. Surprisingly, HPV-positive patients were not younger than HPV-negative patients, but showed a non-significant trend towards a higher mean age (63.0 vs. 60.7 years). Conclusions: Increasing incidence rates in older patients pose a challenge for health care systems. A nationwide study is needed to assess the dynamics and impact of aging on the incidence of HNC.

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