Evaluation of quality of life after modified pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction to repair postoperative defects in patients treated for mouth and tongue cancer
Chernienko V.V.1, Kravets O.V.1, Burtyn O.V.1, Kopchak A.V.2, Smolanka I.I. 1, Korobko Ye.V.1
- 1Nonprofit Organization National Cancer Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine
- 2Institute of Postgraduate Education, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
Summary. Purpose. To evaluate the quality of life in tongue cancer and oral floor mucosal cancer patients who had been performed modified pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap reconstructions to repair subtotal tongue defects and deep defects in the oral floor. Subject and methods. We reviewed the data of 72 patients undergoing surgical treatment for tongue and oral floor mucosal cancer, which included primary tumour excision, lymph node surgery, and postoperative defect repair with a modified PMMC flap. Results. Based on the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL v4), a modified PMMC flap for subtotal tongue defects reconstruction allows for achieving the following quality of life scores: pain (75±11.4), appearance — (69.2±10.8), activity — (72.5±12), recreation — (72.5±7.6), swallowing — (58.5±22.1), chewing — (48.3±9.1), speech — (60.7±17.2), shoulder — (70.7±20.2), taste — (64.7±13.8), saliva — (60.7±17.2), mood — (71.7±15.7), and anxiety — (70.7±10.8); global questions scores, including A (52.5±13.7), B (55.3±8.6), and C (59.3±14.4). According to the UW-QOL v4, the use of a modified PMMC flap to repair deep defects in the oral floor enables obtaining the quality of life scores as follows: pain (73.3±18.8), appearance — (68.1±11.4), activity — (75.9±12.5), rest — (72.4±10.2), swallowing — (77.6±7.7), chewing — (56.9±17.5), speech — (77.9±16.8), shoulder — (69.7±19.7), taste — (64.5±14), saliva — (59±18.2), mood — (76.7±6.4), and anxiety — (74.1±10.5); global questions scores, such as A (53.4±11), B (55.2±8.7), and C (60±12). Conclusions. The UW-QOL v4 is a tool to evaluate the quality of life of patients following surgical treatment and plastic replacement of oral defects. Further research is needed to evaluate the quality of life of patients having their specific oral defects repaired with various vascularised tissue flaps in order to determine the optimal reconstructive technique.
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