Findings from a recent analysis show the collection of electronic patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is feasible for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy (Support Care Cancer. 2020. doi:10.1007/s00520-020-05778-2).
“Head and neck cancer patients experience significant acute side effects from treatment,” wrote Sarah Nicole Hamilton, MD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues.
The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of electronically collecting PROs and to objectively document symptom acuity and trajectory in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy.
Patients completed a 12-item partial survey of the Vanderbilt Head & Neck Symptom Survey 2.0 prior to radiotherapy (baseline) and weekly on while undergoing radiotherapy at the multicenter institution.
Between October 2016 and 2018, 318 of 333 patients competed the baseline survey and at least 1 weekly survey.
Overall, the average number of weekly questionnaires completed was 5 (range 1-8). The mean maximum symptom scored were dysgeusia (5.8/10), pain (5.4/10), mucositis (4.8/10), weight loss due to swallowing (4.5/10) and mucus causing choking/gagging (4.3/10).
Multivariate analysis determined female gender, sinonasal, nasopharynx and oropharynx primaries were associated with a greater risk of moderate-severe pain (P <.05). Sinonasal, nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx and thyroid primaries were associated with a greater risk of moderate-severe mucositis during radiation (P <.0001).
Additionally, Salivary gland, sinonasal, nasopharynx and oropharynx primaries and higher radiation dose were associated with a greater risk of moderate-severe dysgeusia (all P <0.05).
“Electronic PRO collection during [head and neck] cancer [radiotherapy] is feasible. [Head and neck] cancer patients experience significant symptoms during [radiotherapy], and the most severe symptoms reported were dysgeusia, pain and mucositis. Oropharynx cancer patients reported the highest symptom scores during [radiotherapy],” Dr Hamilton and colleagues concluded.—Lisa Kuhns
