Quality of life, functional outcome, and costs of early glottic cancer.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2003
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze quality of life, functional outcome, and hidden costs by primary treatment with surgery or radiation therapy in patients with early glottic cancer.
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study in a tertiary care facility.
METHODS: A group of 101 patients with carcinoma in situ and T1 invasive squamous cell carcinoma treated primarily with either surgery or radiation, between January 1990 and December 2000, were identified from searching our tumor registry. Patients completed two previously validated questionnaires and one local questionnaire. Statistical significance was assessed with the rank sum test, chi2 test, or Fisher's Exact test.
RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed in 59% (44 of 74) of the surgical cohort and 41% (11 of 27) of the radiation therapy cohort. The primary surgical treatments were endoscopic excision (86%), hemilaryngectomy (12%), and total laryngectomy (1%). Patient-reported problems with swallowing, chewing, speech, taste, saliva, pain, activity, recreation, and appearance showed no difference between the endoscopic excision or radiation therapy cohorts. Comparing endoscopic excision versus radiation therapy, respectively, median number of treatments (2 vs. 35), total median travel distance (150 vs. 660 miles), total median travel time (180 vs. 1440 min), and total median number of hours of work missed (76 vs. 24) all differed significantly (P < .01).
CONCLUSIONS: Almost all patients with early glottic cancer, whether treated with surgery or radiation therapy, reported excellent quality of life outcomes and functional results. In addition to actual costs, the hidden costs for radiation therapy versus endoscopic excision were all greater in terms of total number of hours of work missed, total travel time, and total travel distance.
Volume
113
Issue
1
First Page
68
Last Page
76
ISSN
0023-852X
Published In/Presented At
Smith, J. C., Johnson, J. T., Cognetti, D. M., Landsittel, D. P., Gooding, W. E., Cano, E. R., & Myers, E. N. (2003). Quality of life, functional outcome, and costs of early glottic cancer. The Laryngoscope, 113(1), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005537-200301000-00013
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
12514385
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article