Perspectives of the multidisciplinary team on the quality of life of patients with cancer of the head and neck at 2 years

We aimed to assess the extent to which core members of the head and neck multidisciplinary team (MDT) use data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and their familiarity with specific HRQoL outcomes for different groups of patients with cancer of the head and neck. We surveyed members of the head and neck MDT in the Merseyside Regional Head and Neck Cancer Centre (consultants, clinical nurse specialists, and allied health professionals) about their views on patient-reported outcomes for 8 common clinical situations after treatment for cancer. A total of 17/27 responded (63%), and of them, 12 use the data. Participants’ estimates of patient-reported outcomes varied widely, and there were no notable differences between consultants and others. For speech, saliva, and swallowing, estimates tended to be worse than the outcomes reported by the patients themselves. Although HRQoL information is used by most clinicians, it is often used for research and not to inform them about the patient. Its use can enable discussions with patients and carers to be more relevant, but it is important to remember that individual HRQoL outcomes can differ. There is scope for further study to explore the decision-making process for different types of treatment that have equivalent survival from the perspective of both the MDT and the patient.