An international phase IV field study for the reliability and validity of the EORTC Head and Neck Cancer Module H&N43

The EORTC head and neck specific module was one of the first developed to be used in conjunction with the core questionnaire C30. To date, the H&N35 has been translated into 49 languages and is used worldwide as one of the standard instruments in measuring quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. However, new treatment strategies are emerging and the H&N35 has been criticised for not sufficiently covering side effects related to surgery or chemo-radiation, and especially the combination of these treatment modalities in multimodal therapy concepts. Radiochemotherapy using a combination of several chemotherapeutical drugs has improved patients’ survival but has also considerably increased their morbidity, e.g. severe mucositis, hair loss, neuropathy, or chronic dysphagia. Additionally, biological therapies (e. g. Cetuximab) are used increasingly. The side effects are clinically known to be mainly skin rash and headaches, both not included in the H&N35. Presently, we do not know whether those symptoms have an impact on the QoL of the patients or not.The aim of this project is therefore to update and revise the previous version of this module.

More information can be found here.

Funding: EORTC