Evaluation of quality of life and organ function in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Common concerns of head and neck squamous cell cancer patients include concerns about illness and their future, general physical and emotional well being, speech, body image, and financial issues. Patients receiving radiotherapy report high levels of problems with swallowing, eating, and dry mouth. This article focuses on several of the most common and severe lasting issues for head and neck squamous cell cancer patients: impairments of overall quality of life, xerostomia, speech, and swallowing, focusing primarily on the tools and techniques for measuring such effects.