Instruments for evaluating the functioning of patients with head and neck cancer: narrative review

Abstract

Objective: To know the functional assessment tools for patients with Head and Neck Cancer (HNC). Bibliographic review: HNC consists of a collective term, defined by anatomical-topographic bases and used to describe malignant tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract. The most well-known risk factors for HNC include smoking and alcohol consumption. HNC and therapeutic modalities have a strong impact on the functionality of patients, altering speech, swallowing, smell and taste. It is important to know how each person will be affected by the disease and by the therapeutic modalities, ranging from minor structural damage to serious functional and aesthetic changes, representing a burden for patients. The existing instruments for evaluating patients with HNC in scientific research are the “European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire version 3.0 (QLQ-C30, V 3.0)” and its specific complementary modules for HCC, the EuroQoL-5 Dimension-5 Level and the Functional Assessment Tool for Patients with HNC. Final considerations: It can be verified, with this narrative review, that the researcher and the clinician have 3 tools for this purpose, however none of them, in its entirety, presents validation for the Portuguese spoken in Brazil.