Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Surgical Management of Oral Cancer

Sara  Mehri; Abbas  Karimi; Masoume  Farhangiyan; Amir Jalal  Abbasi

doi:10.18502/jcr.v13i1.21476

Sara Mehri Students’ Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abbas Karimi Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Masoume Farhangiyan Craniomaxillofacial Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Amir Jalal Abbasi Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jcr.v13i1.21476

Keywords: Oral cancer; Quality of life; Uw-qol questionnaire; Surgery; Post-treatment care; Survivorship.

Abstract

Introduction: Oral cavity cancers are a significant public health issue, particularly in South-Central Asia. While treatment efficacy has improved, the long-term impact on patients’ quality of life (QoL) requires further investigation. This exploratory study aimed to assess the long-term QoL of patients with oral cancer following surgical treatment in a single-center Iranian cohort.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study involved 40 patients who underwent oral cancer surgery at Shariati Hospital, Tehran, between 2013 and 2023. Data were collected via structured telephone interviews using the validated Persian version of the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire (UW-QOL v4.0). Descriptive statistics were prioritized, with exploratory analyses to examine potential associations with demographic/clinical variables.

Results: The mean age was 55.2 years (±10.8), and 60% were female. The buccal mucosa (52.5%) and tongue (30%) were the most common primary sites, with most patients (75%) diagnosed at advanced stages (III/IV). Pain was the most severely affected domain (mean score: 59.4), reported as a “significant problem” by 55% (22/40) of patients. Appearance, anxiety, and mood were also notably impaired. Shoulder function and saliva production were the best-preserved domains. Exploratory statistical analyses did not reveal significant associations between QoL scores and variables such as gender, disease stage, or age, though the study was underpowered for such comparisons (see Supplementary Tables S1–S6).

Conclusion: In this exploratory cohort, patients reported considerable long-term detriment in QoL after oral cancer surgery, particularly regarding pain and psychosocial domains. The findings, while limited by sample size, underscore the necessity for comprehensive, multidisciplinary survivorship care focused on pain management, psychological support, and functional rehabilitation. Larger, multi-center studies are needed to identify reliable predictors of QoL in this population.