Health-related quality of life as a survival predictor for patients with oral cancer: is quality of life associated with long-term overall survival?

ObjectiveThe aim of the present prospective study was to obtain further insight into health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) as a predictor of survival in a selected cohort of patients with oral cancer.Study DesignA total of 124 patients were treated with surgery or combined therapy. All of the recruited patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaires QLQC30 and H&N35 on 4 occasions. Overall survival was assessed. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were conducted.ResultsHigh baseline HR-QoL score and high pain symptom score were significantly associated with a better survival (HR 0.86 and 0.92 respectively). Swallowing (HR 0.94), and speech (HR 0.92) high baseline scores were also significantly associated with a better survival in the adjusted analyses.ConclusionsPatients who reported a better HR-QoL at tumor diagnosis had a better survival than patients with a lower HR-QoL baseline score.