Skin Reaction and Skin-related Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiotherapy

• Main Authors: Ching-Ping Liu, 劉景萍
• Other Authors: Yeur-Hur Lai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/90693096172697055652

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 護理學研究所 === 101 === Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the major cancers in Taiwan. Currently, radiotherapy (RT) has been identified and proved to be effective to treat these patients after surgery. For HNC patient who receive RT, most of them might experience radiation induced dermatitis. However, it is lack of sufficient information about how the changes of the dermatitis and how it is related to patients’ quality are not clear. Thus, the purposes of this study were to (1) explore the changes of dermatitis severity and skin related life quality of changes in HNC patients receiving radiation therapy, and (2) identify risk factors related to the severity of dermatitis and skin related quality of life over the period from receiving RT to 1 month after RT. A prospective longitudinal study with consecutive sampling was conducted in a RT OPT treatment center in a medical center in Taipei. Newly diagnosed HNC patients who received RT were eligibly recruited. Patients were assessed once a week from pre-treatment to 4 weeks after completing RT. CTCAE radiation therapy skin assessment tool and photography taking were documented (Canon G10 general mode) every week. Skin related quality of life (QoL) was measured by the 16 item version of Skindex-16. There had 4 times data collection (Pre-radiotherapy(To), receiving 40 Gy(T1), end of RT(T2), post RT 28days(T3). A total of 30 patients eligible head and neck cancer patients were recruit from a medical center in north of Taiwan. Statistics analysis was use of SPSS 17.0 repeat measure and generalized estimating equation method. The results show that RT induced dermatitis happened and reach to a considerable severity while accumulating the RT dosage up to 40Gy. The peak severity stage was around 60Gy. Patients reported to have RT dermatitis and skin related QoL similar as the pre-treatment stage in 4 weeks post-RT. Quadratic trend analysis of RT dermatitis and skin related QoL were significant. Patients with older age and those concurrently receiving both Cisplatin and 5-FU are the risk group to develop RT dermatitis. Overall, younger and female were found to be significant change in overall, emotion and function subscale of Skindex-16. In the symptom subscale of Skindex-16 radiation dermatitis was a borderline factor (p=0.086). Our results suggest that the changes of dermatitis during and after RT are important to be monitored. Further intervention which include those related risk factors, needs to be developed and tested to better enhance HNC patients’ QOL.