Quality of Life and Radiotherapy Complications of Chinese Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients at Different 3DCRT Stages

Purpose: the study aimed to compare the quality of life (QOL) and radiotherapy complications among Chinesenasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients at different 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) stagesadjusting for other variables.
Methods: 511 NPC patients at different 3DCRT stages were enrolled. They wereinterviewed regarding SF-36, complications and socio-demographic variables and cancer- or treatment- relatedvariables. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) based on SF-36, complications scores as dependent variables, 3DCRTstages as independent variables, and other variables as covariate were established.
Results: The influencingfactors of PCS included 3DCRT stages and age group. The influencing factors of MCS included 3DCRT stagesand income. Most QOL scores of NPC patients were significantly associated with 3DCRT stage, after accountingfor other variables. QOL scores of the patients receiving 3DCRT were the lowest, QOL scores of people after3DCRT gradually increased. PCS scores of people greater than 5 years after 3DCRT was improved to or evenbetter than the level before 3DCRT. The complications with significantly different scores of patients at different3DCRT status included xerostomia, throat ache, hypogeusia, caries, hearing loss, snuffles.
Conclusions: Cliniciansshould pay more attention to older NPC patients and patients with lower income. When patients receive 3DCRT,measures should be taken to reduce radiation injury to improve the patients’ QOL.