Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield;
University of Alberta, Edmonton
Objective: To determine, among patients with head and neck cancer, factors predicting quality of life (QOL), depression, and fatigue more than 3 months after diagnosis.
Design: Survey study.
Setting: Academic oncology clinic.
Patients: Convenience sample of 39 patients with head and neck cancer (response rate, 92%). Most were men (82%) and white (92%), with a mean age (SD) of 59 years (13.3 years). The primary cancer sites were the oral cavity (26%), oropharynx (28%), and larynx (28%); 23% of tumors were stage I; 10%, stage II; 23%, stage III; and 44%, stage IV.