Persistent Post-radiotherapy Pain and Locoregional Recurrence in Head and Neck Cancer-Is There a Hidden Link?.
10.3344/kjp.2015.28.2.116
- Author:
Preety SRIVASTAVA
1
;
Pamela Alice KINGSLEY
;
Himanshu SRIVASTAVA
;
Jaineet SACHDEVA
;
Paramdeep KAUR
Author Information
1. Department of Radiotherapy, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. drpreetinegi@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Disease-free survival;
Follow-up studies;
Head and neck neoplasms;
Local recurrence;
Pain;
Quality of life
- MeSH:
Disease-Free Survival;
Follow-Up Studies;
Head and Neck Neoplasms;
Head*;
Humans;
Neck*;
Quality of Life;
Radiotherapy;
Recurrence*;
Retrospective Studies
- From:The Korean Journal of Pain
2015;28(2):116-121
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: To explore the relationship between persistent post-radiotherapy pain and locoregional recurrence in head and neck cancer patients. METHODS: Five year retrospective data was reviewed of 86 patients of head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy who continued to have pain at 6 weeks after completion of treatment. At follow-up after 3 months, these patients were stratified into: Group A (n = 39) constituted of patients whose pain subsided and Group B (n = 47) were patients who continued to have persistent pain. RESULTS: At median follow-up time of 25 months (range: 8-47), one patient (2.6%) and 18 (38.3%) patients in group A and group B had locoregional recurrence respectively (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, group B patients had higher mean pain score levels as compared to group A (P = 0.03). Patients in whom pain subsided within 3 months had statistically much greater disease-free survival in comparison to those with persistent pain (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pain in head and neck cancer is an important symptom and should be considered a poor prognostic factor. In the current study, the majority of the patients with persistent pain had recurrent disease as compared to those in whom pain subsided within 3 months of post-treatment. It is suggested that patients with persistent pain need more intense follow-up and should be investigated thoroughly to detect recurrence at an early stage to provide a better quality of life.
