Wan Leung et al. compared modern radiotherapy
(RT) with QOL (RT-QOL) in 640 patients
with HNC (head and neck cancer) in a period of
time from January 2005 till December 2008. The
authors used an EORTC OLQ-C30 (European Organization
of Research and Treatment of Cancer
Quality of Life Core Questionnaire, version
3.0) questionnaire and a QLQ-H&N35 module in
a study group consisting of 371 patients treated
with two-dimensional RT (2DRT), 127 with threedimensional
conformal RT (3DCRT) and 142 with
intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). It is important
to note that the changes made in radiotherapy are
very important considering the effects on the head
and neck regions. The study shows that 316 cases
of the nasopharynx, 129 of the oral cavity, 75
of the oropharynx, 75 of the hypopharynx and 45
of the larynx are slightly different because of the
patient’s age, cancer type, treatment and sociodemographic
factors. It seems that IMRT (intensity-
modulated radiation therapy) radiotherapy can
improve the patient’s HR-QOL, perhaps because
of less saliva lack off function and radiation only
performed at the selected area, not involving huge
amounts of surrounding tissues. More studies need
to be performed to further analyze less RT-related
symptoms in the head and neck region; however
progress in radiation therapy is one of the most
important factors in HNC patients [5].