Schorr M, et al. – A retrospective cohort study appraised whether distress levels, fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, and common psychological and practical problems differ between head and neck cancer patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)–related vs. HPV–unrelated carcinomas (using oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) and non–OPC cancers as surrogates for HPV status). Only baseline pain levels and total problems over time differed between the two groups, irrespective of a difference in the clinico–demographic characteristics of HPV–related vs. HPV–unrelated patients.

Methods

• Experts investigated distress, depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, and common problems in 56 OPC and 90 non-OPC patients at 4 timepoints during the first year following diagnosis.
• They used two-level hierarchical linear modeling to examine effects.

Results

• As per the observations, the HPV-related OPC group was more likely to be younger (p = 0.05), Caucasian (p = 0.001), non-smokers (p = 0.01), earn more (p = 0.04), and present with more advanced stage (p < 0.0001).
• OPC patients reported only higher pain scores (p = 0.01) than non-OPC patients, at baseline.
• From baseline to 12-month follow-up, total problems decreased more in the OPC group (p = 0.08) than the non-OPC group.
• Scores on distress, depression, psychosocial problems, and practical problems decreased similarly over time, in both groups.