A pilot study using pre-treatment physical activity level to predict long-term health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND

Pre-treatment levels of physical activity (PA) in head and neck cancer (HNC) are rarely evaluated using accelerometry. This study aimed to investigate whether pre-treatment PA level in HNC predicts aspects of long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) at 12 months after end of treatment.

METHODS

This pilot study included 48 patients diagnosed with HNC, 41 participants remaining at 12 months post-treatment. Pre-treatment PA was objectively assessed by an accelerometer. Self-perceived PA and HRQL were assessed pre-treatment and at 6- and 12-months post-treatment.

RESULTS

Patients with a higher pre-treatment PA level scored higher on physical function and role function and less fatigue and pain at the 12 months follow-up compared to patients with a lower pre-treatment PA. At 6 months the groups differed only on physical functioning. When comparing changes over time, there were statistically significant differences comparing high and low pre-treatment PA in the fatigue and pain domains between 6 and 12 months. Exploratory multiple regression analyses also indicated that higher pre-treatment PA levels were associated with greater favorable change in the four HRQL measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of PA assessed with accelerometer before oncologic treatment associated favorably with aspects of self-perceived HRQL and PA over time in patients with HNC.