Factors associated with the quality of life of subjects with facial disfigurement due to surgical treatment of head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Facial disfigurement has been considered one of the most challenging consequences of the surgical treatment for head and neck cancer patients, mainly due to the importance of the facial region for the personal identity, body self-image and interpersonal interactions, which might affect negatively the quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with the quality of life of subjects with facial disfigurement due to surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical data were retrieved from 103 patient’s medical records and quality of life data were collected using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-H&N) questionnaire. Moreover, the degree of facial disfigurement was classified by means of a specific ordinal scale. RESULTS: Data from the FACT-H&N questionnaire showed that the domain directly related to head and neck symptoms was considered the most impacted, while emotional domain was the least affected. Lower quality of life was associated with sequels in the neck and/or lower third of the face (β=-0.39; p=0.001), a higher level of disfigurement (β=-0.29; p=0.016) and female gender (β=-0.20; p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Disfigurement due to surgical treatment was significantly associated with the functional dimension of the patients, especially in extensive sequels in the cervical and lower regions of the face. Key words:Quality of life, Head and neck cancer, Patient-reported outcomes.