Health related quality of life after mandibular resection for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Postoperative radiotherapy was the clinical parameter that affected HrQOL most. The type of mandibular resection had no influence on HrQOL. The affected QOL-items were all associated with eating problems, i.e. use of a feeding tube, use of nutritional supplements, swallowing, social eating, mouth opening and dry mouth. Postoperative radiotherapy should only be applied if strictly indicated. This implies that the application of postoperative radiotherapy may need reconsideration in cases without strict criteria for postoperative radiotherapy.