The patients’ perspective on the impact of sentinel node biopsy in oral cancer treatment

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology Vol. 122; no. 3; pp. 279 - 286
• Main Authors: Flach, Géke B, Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M, Witte, Birgit I, Klop, W. Martin C, van Es, Robert J.J, Schepman, Kees-Pieter, de Bree, Remco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Dentistry; Disability Evaluation; Female; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - psychology; Mouth Neoplasms - surgery; Neck Dissection; Neoplasm Staging; Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Quality of Life; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Surgery; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ultrasonography, Interventional; patient preference; sentinel lymph node biopsy; head and neck cancer; psychological stress; range of motion; neck dissection; quality of life; shoulder; psychological interview; oral cancer
• ISSN: 2212-4403; 2212-4411
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2016.03.014

Abstract Introduction Assessment of the impact of a SNB-based strategy in cT1/T2N0 oral cancer on the course of health related quality of life, psychological distress and shoulder disability. And evaluation of the patients’ perspective on neck management strategies. Patients and methods Fifty-two patients (39 SNB-, 13 SNB+) completed the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N35, HADS, IES and SDQ at baseline, after SNB diagnosis and at 6 months follow-up. Objective shoulder measurements were performed after 2 years and interviews were taken after 4.5 months follow-up. Results All scores of the questionnaires were not significantly different between SNB- and SNB+ patients. Objective shoulder functioning was similar. Most patients preferred a SNB-based strategy to an END strategy. Conclusion The impact of a SNB-based strategy in cT1/T2N0 oral cancer patients is comparable for SNB- and SNB+ patients in terms of HRQoL, psychological distress and shoulder functioning. Most patients preferred a SNB-based strategy to an END strategy.