Clinical Research Directory

Support Pathway for ENT Cancer Patients in a Support Care Day Hospital

Cancers of the upper respiratory / digestive tract are a major public health problem, ranking 5th among the most common cancers. Surgery plays a central role in the recommended treatments for this type of pathology. The surgical procedure and its after-effects can be anxiety-provoking and have a major psychological, physical and social impact on patients over the long term. Our institution's standard protocol is based on a pre-operative supportive care day hospital. The aim of this study is to compare our current care pathway with a more extensive interdisciplinary care pathway focused on patients' needs, in order to reduce anxiety and improve the quality of life of patients undergoing surgery for cancers of the upper respiratory / digestive tract. Our aim is to use a prospective single-centre interventional study to assess the impact of adding three post-operative day hospitals to the existing care pathway in terms of reducing anxiety and improving the quality of life of patients undergoing surgery.

Quality of Life After Primary TORS vs IMRT for Patients With Early-stage Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is now the most frequently diagnosed head and neck cancer in Denmark which is mainly due to the increase of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Patients with HPV-positive OPSCC have a significantly higher survival rate compared to HPV-negative OPSCC. The traditional primary treatment modality in Denmark is Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), and in advanced stages in combination with chemotherapy. Since 2009, Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) has enabled surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery as an alternative to standard radiotherapy treatment which is considered the primary treatment for OPSCC in many countries. There is a lack of randomised trials comparing long-term functional outcomes after TORS or IMRT. Current data are mostly derived from retrospective studies with selection bias. However, several small retrospective studies have shown promising results when comparing the two treatment modalities in favour of TORS with regards to treatment related swallowing function and quality of life (QoL) without compromising survival outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the early and long-term functional outcomes following two treatment arms 1) TORS combined with neck dissection and 2) IMRT±concurrent chemotherapy with a special focus on swallowing-related QoL.