Health-Related quality of life (HRQoL) and health state utility values (HSUV) in patients with head and neck Cancer: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis.
Oral OncolAug 6, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchOncology (Medical)
Ruixuan Liu, Zhen Wang, Xueli Yang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and health state utility values (HSUV) in 7,403 patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The pooled mean EQ-5D utility score was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.83), while the EQ-VAS score was 69.36 (95% CI: 65.71-73.01). Significant heterogeneity was noted across studies.
Key findings
- The pooled mean EQ-5D utility score was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.83).
- The pooled mean EQ-VAS score was 69.36 (95% CI: 65.71-73.01).
- Utility values were higher in studies using EQ-5D-5L compared to EQ-5D-3L (0.82 vs. 0.76).
- Nasopharyngeal cancer had the highest utility value at 0.85, while oral cancer had the lowest at 0.73.
Why it matters
Understanding HRQoL and HSUV in HNC patients is crucial for clinicians to tailor survivorship care and inform health technology assessments. These findings highlight the significant impact of cancer subsites and treatment intensity on patient well-being.