Evaluation of the quality of life of cancer patients as an indicator of the effectiveness of local treatment of oral mucositis

Radiation and chemotherapy mucositis, one of the most severe and frequent complications of anticancer treatment, may cause the development of severe enteropathies. Mucositis may lead to the interruption of the courses of antitumor treatment and thus reduces the effectiveness of this treatment negatively affecting the prognosis of the disease. The main goal of this work is to assess the quality of life of cancer patients as an indicator of the effectiveness of local treatment of oral mucositis. This study included 49 patients, who had a morphologically confirmed diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and received radiation therapy. All the patients underwent treatment at the Department of Radiotherapy the Russian Scientific Center of Roentgenoradiology. Depending on their age, the patients were divided into three groups: I - patients from 18 to 44 years old; II - patients from 45 to 59 years old; III - patients from 60 to 74 years old.The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of cancer patients. Patients were surveyed every 7 days at a total focal dose of 0 Gy (before the start of radiation therapy), 14 Gy, 28Gy, 42 Gy and more. The intensity of symptoms that reduce the quality of life was greater in group III at 42 Gy than in groups I and II. Patients in groups I and II had a satisfactory quality of life, both before and after treatment.