Measuring Patient-Reported Adverse Events in Oncology Practice Improves Quality of Life in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Measuring Patient-Reported Adverse Events in Oncology Practice Improves Quality of Life in Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Undergoing Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Although patient-reported adverse events have been promoted as an essential element in clinical trials and daily managements, their efficacy remained unknown. The purpose of this trial was to determine the effect of the patient-reported adverse events during the treatment on the improvements on quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with newly histologically confirmed non-keratinizing carcinoma (according to WHO histological type)
• No evidence of distant metastasis (M0)
• Performance status: PS 0~2
• Receive standard treatment
• Able to read and understand the questionnaires
• Not exhibiting overt psychopathology
• Willing to give feedback to physicians and written informed consent was obtained

Exclusion Criteria:

• WHO type keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma or basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.
• Treatment with palliative intent.
• Prior malignancy (except adequately treated carcinoma in-situ of the cervix or basal/squamous cell carcinoma of the skin)
• Previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy (except non-melanomatous skin cancers outside the intended RT treatment volume)
• Patient is pregnant or lactating
• Severe intercurrent disease