Quality of life of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with induction chemotherapy followed by cisplatin-containing chemoradiotherapy in the Dutch CONDOR study: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE: The CONDOR study showed that docetaxel/cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (TPF) followed by conventional radiotherapy with cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on days 1, 22, and 43 (cis100 + RT; n = 27)) versus accelerated radiotherapy with cisplatin weekly 40 mg/m(2) (cis40 + ART; n = 29) in locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) patients was not feasible. Here, we report the analysis of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the patients entered in this study. METHODS: HRQOL was assessed at baseline, after two TPF, before start of chemoradiotherapy, and 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 months after completion of chemoradiotherapy using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 in 62 patients. RESULTS: Compliance with the QOL questionnaires was 94% (59/62) at baseline and 61% (30/49) at 12 months, respectively. HRQOL decreased after TPF and further decreased during chemoradiohteray in both arms equally. Pain and swallowing dysfunction improved significantly during TPF but deteriorated below baseline levels during chemoradiotherapy, cis40 + ART > cis100 + RT (p < 0.05). HRQOL and symptoms restored to baseline within 12 months in both arms and remained at that level until 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: After TPF, cis40 + ART had a larger negative impact on symptoms than cis100 + RT, probably due to the ART. HRQOL and symptoms restored to baseline levels within 12 months after end of treatment in both arms, which is an important perspective for patients during the phase of most serious acute side effects of treatment. Trial registration: NCT00774319. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00520-017-3946-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.