Pilot project to evaluate impact of a patient counselling and rehabilitation programme on treatment outcomes and quality of life in head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy

The purpose of this research is to evaluate a dedicated & comprehensive supportive care and rehabilitation programme for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers receiving chemoradiotherapy. Our hypothesis is based on the assumption that  integrating counseling and rehabilitation services with the  treatment will improve patient compliance and tolerance to chemoradiotherapy and will positively impact the treatment outcomes and quality of life of the  patients. Dedicated faculty will monitor the patients during the project and provide counseling on hygeine , nutrition, home made diets and   swallowing therapy to prevent dysphagia. The aims and objectives of this study are as below

1.     To evaluate theimpact of a structured counseling and rehabilitation programme on the qualityof life of patients

2. To evaluate theimpact of a structured counseling and rehabilitation program onchemoradiotherapy related treatment toxicity 3.    To evaluate theimpact of a structured counseling and rehabilitation programme on patientscompliance to treatment

Majority of our patients come from the economically weaker sections of society and are unaware of and also unable to afford dedicated supportive services.The research is designed to fill this lacunae in our patient care system for such patients.

Head and neck cancers is emerging as a important public health problem in our country with a huge burden of disease( 30% cancers in males and 4.8-15% cancers in females). The results of this study will help us improve our treatment protocols  keeping in mind the specific requirements of our  Indian patients and we propose  to provide counselling and rehabilitation services routinely to our patients in the near future by using the results of this pilot project to guide us.

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