Life Quality in Patients with Head and Neck Cancers

Abstract

The face represents the basis of relationships, being the most caracteristic part of an individual. Head and neck cancers encompasses a wide range of tumors that occur in several areas of the head and neck. The quality of life is a complex concept that must be very well defined for clinical use. The main purpose of this paper is to identify major problems of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers that undergo radical surgery. Matherial and method: We carried out a descriptiv study by collecting existent data from medical literature and from the authors’ clinical experience. We syntesized the main problems that interfere with the quality of life of these patients in four domains: pain, eating and deglutition, dry mouth and physiognomic issues. An important aspect is the role of the patients’ families in improving the quality of their lives.