Reliability of the electronic patient reported outcome measures for assessing xerostomia, dysphagia and quality of life in Spanish patients with head and neck cancer: a randomised crossover design

Table 2 Clinical characteristics of study patients (N = 24)

Primary tumour localization, n (%)
Oral cavity	2 (8.33)
Oropharynx	5 (20.83)
Larynx	5 (20.83)
Hypopharynx	1 (4.17)
Nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses	2 (8.33)
Salivary glands	2 (8.33)
Nasopharynx	6 (25.00)
Occult primary cancer	1 (4.17)
Treatment received, n (%)
Surgery and RT	7 (29.17)
RT	1 (4.17)
Surgery, RT and CT	8 (33.33)
RT and CT	8 (33.33)
Type of RT, n (%)
RT3D	6 (25.00)
IMRT_IGRT	1 (4.17)
VMAT_IGRT	15 (62.50)
Proton therapy	2 (8.33)
Dose of RT, mean ± SD
Total, Gy	66.62 ± 4.07
Time since RT, mean ± SD
Months	24.09 ± 17.40
Type of CT, n (%)
Concomitant (cisplatin)	9 (37.50)
Concomitant (carboplatin)	1 (4.17)
Concomitant and adjuvant (cisplatin and 5FU)	6 (25.00)

Data are presented as mean ± SD or n (%), as appropriate
Patients were treated with radiation therapy methods using IMRT or VMAT, both with IGRT. These methods can provide more conformal dose coverage for the treatment area and reduce the dose to organs at risk (OAR) in anatomically complex disease sites such as head and neck cancer; that is why, radiation therapy stands out as the main treatment choice for this tumour currently
Abbreviations: 5FU 5-fluorouracil, CT chemotherapy, IGRT Image-guided radiation therapy, IMRT Intensity modulation radiation therapy, RT radiotherapy, RT3D Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy, SD standard deviation, VMAT Volumetric modulated arc therapy

ISSN: 1477-7525