Table 4

Mean values (CI) for QLQ-H&N35 scores before treatment (baseline) and follow-up and p-values and effect sizes for changes at follow-up compared to baseline


Base, n = 100
1 mo, n = 95
2 mo, n = 86
3 mo, n = 81
6 mo, n = 75
12 mo, n = 71

EORTC QLQ-H&N35
Scales*
Pain
9.3 (6.4–12.2)
28.5§ (23.9–33.0)
17.0 (13.2–20.9)
13.0 (9.2–16.7)
12.3 (7.8–16.7)
6.8 (3.2–10.4)
     p/ES

.000/0.99
.000/0.55
.016/0.28
ns/0.21
ns/0.08
Swallowing
6.8 (4.2–9.5)
33.1§ (27.7–38.5)
22.8§ (17.4–28.1)
14.3 (9.1–19.6)
11.3 (6.8–15.7)
6.8 (3.3–10.3)
     p/ES

.000/0.96
.000/0.68
.000/0.39
.005/0.34
ns/0.15
Senses
5.2 (2.4–7.9)
23.0§ (17.3–28.6)
19.2§ (13.1–25.3)
13.2 (8.6–17.8)
9.6 (5.0–14.2)
7.8 (3.6–11.9)
     p/ES

.000/0.70
.000/0.54
.000/0.49
.005/0.34
.010/0.31
Speech
37.2 (32.5–41.9)
44.9 (39.5–50.4)
34.4 (28.3–40.6)
24.6§ (19.0–30.1)
24.3§ (18.3–30.3)
16.0§ (11.8–20.2)
     p/ES

.013/0.25
ns/0.09
.001/0.40
.001/0.45
.000/0.84
Social eating
7.1 (4.1–10.0)
29.1§ (23.3–34.9)
17.4§ (12.6–22.3)
11.0 (6.3–15.7)
7.3 (3.3–11.4)
6.0 (2.1–9.9)
     p/ES

.000/0.75
.000/0.50
.014/0.28
ns/0.17
ns/0.09
Social contact
6.9 (4.5–9.3)
9.4 (6.6–12.1)
7.6 (5.2–10.1)
5.2 (2.4–8.1)
4.5 (1.4–7.5)
2.8 (0.3–5.3)
     p/ES

.049/0.18
ns/0.10
ns/0.05
ns/0.16
.003/0.36
Sexuality
33.0 (25.4–40.6)
36.6 (28.9–44.3)
37.2 (28.9–45.5)
34.9 (27.1–46.6)
27.1 (19.4–34.9)
27.0 (19.2–34.7)
     p/ES

ns/0.12
ns/0.12
ns/0.17
ns/0.05
ns/0.01
Single items*
Dry mouth
22.7 (16.7–28.7)
39.30§ (32.5–46.1)
34.1§ (27.1–41.1)
34.6§ (27.3–41.9)
34.7§ (27.3–42.1)
30.1 (23.4–36.7)
     p/ES

.000/0.52
.000/0.44
.000/0.53
.000/0.54
.002/0.40
Sticky saliva
20.2 (14.8–25.6)
50.7§ (43.7–57.7)
45.0§ (37.4–52.5)
37.1§ (29.9–44.3)
38.7§ (30.9–46.4)
31.9§ (25.1–38.7)
     p/ES

.000/0.91
.000/0.80
.000/0.68
.000/0.66
.000/0.55
Coughing
29.0 (24.0–34.0)
48.1§ (42.0–54.2)
40.3§ (33.5–47.1)
35.4 (29.2–41.6)
32.4 (25.0–39.9)
24.9 (18.8–31.0)
     p/ES

.000/0.63
.004/0.33
.026/0.26
ns/0.21
ns/0.02
Felt ill
17.0 (12.4–21.6)
28.4§ (22.4–34.4)
19.0 (13.7–24.3)
16.1 (11.1–21.1)
10.2 (6.2–14.2)
8.5 (4.5–12.4)
     p/ES

.000/0.0.45
ns/0.17
ns/0.08
ns/0.20
.034/0.26

*Min-max: 0–100

§ Indicates clinical significant change measured from baseline, i.e. a change of >10 points.

p-value significant at ≤ 0.05, ns = not significant.

Effect size (ES) of change was calculated as mean change from baseline, divided by the standard deviation of change. Criteria: trivial 0 to < 0.20; small 0.20 to < 0.50; moderate 0.50 to < 0.80; and large ≥ 0.80

Johansson et al. BMC Cancer 2008 8:80   doi:10.1186/1471-2407-8-80