Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychological Distress Status in Survivors of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2024-10, Vol.16 (10), p.e71070
• Main Authors: Alghamdi, Nawaf S, Rammal, Almoaidbellah, Alzahrani, Reem M, Kaneetah, Alwaleed H, Alghamdi, Anas K, Alnahdi, Abdulelah A, Shawly, Amjad A, Alzahrani, Raghad A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Diabetes; Family income; Global health; Head & neck cancer; Headaches; Hearing loss; Hypertension; Medical diagnosis; Mental depression; Metastasis; Missing data; Mouth; Nose; Pathology; Patients; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Radiation therapy; Squamous cell carcinoma; Statistical analysis; Survivor; Swallowing; Ulcers; Well being
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71070

Introduction Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an uncommon cancer globally, with a low incidence in Western countries. However, this rate increases significantly in some endemic regions, including the Middle East. Although studies have evaluated the physical health outcomes, treatment efficacy, and short-term effects, long-term effects - especially quality of life (QoL) - have been neglected. Therefore, we aimed to assess the QoL and psychological distress status of survivors of NPC and investigate the demographic, clinical, temporal, and therapeutic factors that impact the well-being of such patients. Methodology This cross-sectional analysis was performed in 2023 at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), a major tertiary care facility located in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We retrospectively reviewed all reported cases of NPC at KAUH from 2010 to 2023 and identified 34 patients who met our inclusion criteria. Data on the QoL and psychological distress status were collected using telephone interviews, during which three questionnaires were administered: the "European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 Version 3.0" (EORTC QLQ-C30), the "European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Head and Neck Module 43" (EORTC QLQ-HN43), an additional questionnaire designed to be utilized alongside the EORTC QLQ-C30, and the "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale." Demographic and clinical information were also obtained. Results The patients had a mean age of 49.88 ± 2.27 years (range: 18-70 years). The mean survival duration was 5.88 years (range: 1-14 years). From the pooled data, abnormal borderline depression, borderline anxiety, and anxiety were identified in five patients (14.7%), four patients (11.76%), and two patients (5.88%), respectively. Patient age showed a significant positive correlation with both "fatigue" (r = 0.367, p = 0.033) and "social contact" (r = 0.423, p = 0.013), where higher scores on both symptom scales indicate worse symptoms (i.e., greater fatigue and more difficulties with social interactions). The mean "global health status/QoL" was significantly lower in patients with comorbidities (p = 0.039) and "oral dryness" (p = 0.027) compared to those without. The tumor stage showed a significant negative correlation with the "global health status/QoL" (r = -0.664, p = 0.001). Conclusion A significant number of survivors of NPC experience