Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are at risk of loneliness
because of the effects of the disease and its treatment on important social
interactive functions such as appearance, speech, facial expression, and
eating. Dahill and colleagues from Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, UK,
evaluated the association between loneliness and the quality of life, mental
illness, physical health, and premature mortality.
The investigators survived 140 patients treated for primary
squamous cell HNC between 2015 and 2016. Tumor sites were oropharyngeal (42%),
oral (35%), laryngeal (14%), and elsewhere (9%).
In response to the question "How often do you feel
lonely?" three-quarters said "hardly ever" and only
6% "often". Similar responses were obtained for the other
three indicator questions. It is encouraging that a relatively small proportion
had serious issues with loneliness. Similarly, one-quarter had feelings of
loneliness and a minority had serious problems. Patients who were younger, who
lived in more deprived circumstances, who had advanced disease and had been
treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy reported greater levels of
loneliness.
The study showed that loneliness was associated with a worse
overall quality of life, and worse physical and social-emotional function. Dahill
and colleagues recommended that lonely patients need to be identified as early
as possible so that support and interventions can be implemented and outcomes
improved.
Information about support and interventions to help individuals with HNC click this link.
