PROGNOSIS AND QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE SKULL BASE
Dr. İrfan YORULMAZ, Dr. Babür KÜÇÜK, Dr. Ozan Bağış ÖZGÜRSOY
Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye
The prognosis of malignant tumors of the skull base is poor and the aim of treatment is commonly to provide a better quality of life with the local control of the disease. This study compares the survival, duration of need for medical assistance and performance scores in two groups of patients, which consisted of 30 patients treated surgically and 10 patients treated either with radiotherapy alone or chemoradiotherapy combination. The results were evaluated in an attempt to find out the best treatment modality in terms of prognosis and quality of life measures. The survival rate for the surgically treated patients were 56% in the mean follow-up duration of 22 months; one, two and five-year survival rates were found to be 64%, 48% and 20%, respectively. The survival rate for the control group of patients who received non-surgical treatment were 15% in the mean follow-up duration of 22 months; one, two and five-year survival rates were found to be 60%, 15% and 0%, respectively. Despite the survival data were better in the surgical treatment group, the difference did not reach statistical significance. The performance scores were significantly higher and the duration of need for medical assistance was lower in the surgical treatment group. The results of this study indicate that surgery for malignant tumors of the skull base is justified, regarding that surgical treatment provides a better control of local disease, long-term palliation, patient comfort and life quality, with a low mortality and acceptable morbidity rates.
Keywords :
Skull base surgery, malignant tumors, prognosis