OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influencing factors on the postoperative quality of life and to analyze the coping styles of patients with oral cancer.

METHODSA total of 131 oral cancer cases confirmed through diagnostic criteria were investigated to analyze the influencing factors on the quality of life (QOL) and the relationship between coping style and QOL of these patients by using the fourth edition of the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UWQOL) and medical coping modes questionnaires (MCMQ), respectively.

RESULTSAmong the 131 questionnaires collected, only 126 were valid with a recovery rate of 96.18% (126/131). Single factor analysis showed that age, marital status, educational level, other systemic diseases, personal income level, tooth loss, operation times, adjuvant radiotherapy, cancer staging, cervical lymph node dissection, recurrence, and jaw resection yielded different UWQOL scale scores (P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that the loss of teeth, cancer staging, recurrence, and jaw resection yielded statistically significant differences in the total score of UWQOL (P<0.05). Among the coping styles, the average scores of  "confrontation", "avoidance", and "yielding" were 17.54±4.97, 17.79±2.19, and 12.97±5.70, respectively. Compared with the norm, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that "confrontation" and "avoidance" were positively correlated, whereas "yielding" was negatively correlated to QOL (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAge, marital status, educational level, other systemic diseases, personal income level, tooth loss, operation times, adjuvant radiotherapy, cancer staging, cervical lymph node dissection, recurrence, and jaw resection have different effects on the quality of QOL. Tooth loss, cancer staging, recurrence, and jaw resection are the main causative factors affecting the patients' perceived QOL. Personalized treatment and nursing care should be strengthened to improve the coping style and quality of life of patients.