Abstract
We evaluated the functional outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of
117 patients (who had had primary operations for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell
carcinoma) using the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire version
4 (UW- QOL V4), European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality
of Life Questionnaire version 3 (EORTC QLQ-C30 v3) and Head and Neck version 1 (EORTC
H&N35 v1). The patients were divided into groups according to the reconstruction techniques
used: primary closure, submental island pedicled flap (SIPF), and radial forearm free
flap (RFFF). Patients who had reconstruction with RFFF had better HRQoL as measured
by swallowing, mastication, speaking, and overall score, than the primary closure
group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the RFFF and SIPF groups in overall QOL one year postoperatively. The
HRQoL of the SIPF group was also better than that of the primary closure group in
terms of mastication, speaking, and loss of appetite. Swallowing, mastication, and
speaking are major factors that affect the HRQoL of patients one year after operation
for oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Flap reconstruction can improve patients’ QoL postoperatively.
They can regain their ability to speak and swallow through training, and the importance
of this issue must be addressed postoperatively.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 10, 2020
Accepted:
January 13,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
