FUNQOLR (FUNctional and QOL changes with Recurrent OPC)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Changes to function and quality of life and patient experience for patients undergoing treatments for recurrent oropharyngeal cancer
IRAS ID
297893
Contact name
Grainne Brady
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), is a type of head and neck cancer involving the tonsils and back of the tongue. Treatments include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. OPC can have a great impact on communication and swallowing and subsequent quality of life (QOL). The overall cure rate remains poor, with disease returning in approximately 20-30% of patients. When the disease comes back, it is very difficult to treat. Usually, the only option which may offer cure is surgery or a second course of radiotherapy both of which can cause even more difficulty with swallowing, communication speech and overall QOL. Sometimes curative treatment options are not possible if the person is too unwell, the tumour is too big or if the impact on swallowing and communication is predicted to be too great. People are offered palliative treatments aiming not to cure but to slow down tumour growth and to keep the person comfortable. Patients often have to make very difficult decisions choosing between potential cure and changes to function and quality of life however, the functional and quality of life outcomes are not well understood for any of the available treatments for recurrent OPC including curative and non-curative options. This study will investigate changes in function (swallowing and communication) and quality of life over time in people with recurrent OPC through an observational study using (1) patient-reported questionnaires (2) clinician-reported rating scales and (3) an assessment of swallowing using a small camera/ scope placed in the throat (via the nose). Interviews with patients and their carers will also be undertaken to investigate patient and carer experience of functional and quality of life changes.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SC/0303
Date of REC Opinion
27 Oct 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion