Quality of life in patients surgically treated for oral carcinoma

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to examine quality of life in patients who were surgically treated for oral carcinoma. Material and Methods: The study included patients surgically treated over a 3-year period (2014-2016). Data on patients, tumor type and localization, disease status according to the TNM classification, type of surgical intervention and time since surgery were collected from the medical records. Postsurgery functional and aesthetic results were evaluated using the adapted University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire. Results: Forty patients were included in the study. Male patients were more prevalent (27 vs 13) (ch2=4.225p<0.05). Ratio of planocellular vs adenocarcinoma was 35 vs 5 (ch2=11.404, p=0.0007, a=0.05). Osteotomy was performed in 52.5% of patients, and surgical intervention in the soft tissue was performed in 47.5%. Patients who had recovered >1 year showed better mood (MannWhitney test, p=0.036, a=0.05), functions of speech (Mann-Whitney test p=0.008, a=0.05) and chewing (Mann-Whitney test p=0.04, a=0.05), as well as patients who had soft tissue surgery (chewing: Mann-Whitney test p=0.016, a=0.05; speech: Mann-Whitney test p=0.043, a=0.05). Patients with T1 stage tumors considered their looks less disfigured and had fewer problems in appearing in public, compared with patients with T3 and T4 stage (Dunn's test, CI -95%). Interest in sex was significantly diminished in patients older than 30 years (Kruskal-Wallis testa (p=0.013, a=0.05). Conclusions: The stage of disease, range of resection and success of reconstruction were decisive parameters for postoperative quality of life. Early detection of disease is of utmost importance for both survival and quality of life of patients with carcinoma.