{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T06:46:28Z","timestamp":1776062788902,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776038400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Oral cancer remains a major public health concern in India, particularly in Maharashtra, where tobacco and areca-nut use, delayed diagnosis, and socioeconomic constraints contribute to high morbidity and poor survivorship outcomes. Post-treatment challenges\u2014including impairments in mastication, swallowing, speech, appearance, emotional wellbeing, and financial stability\u2014profoundly shape survivors\u2019 quality of life (QOL). Physicians\u2019 perspectives are central to survivorship planning, yet remain understudied in low-resource, high-burden settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This qualitative study explored treating physicians\u2019 perceptions of postoperative QOL among oral cancer survivors in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve physicians across surgical, medical, dental, and psychosocial specialties. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the Framework Method with combined inductive\u2013deductive coding.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Five major themes were identified: (1) physicians\u2019 conceptualizations of QOL; (2) key affected domains, including physical, emotional, social, and financial dimensions; (3) perceived patient needs, such as health education, financial assistance, and family support; (4) barriers to optimal QOL, including clinical sequelae, psychological insecurity, prosthetic challenges, and limited follow-up; and (5) strategies to enhance QOL, including structured health education, coping and psychological support, dietetic guidance, reconstructive rehabilitation, and regular follow-ups. Physicians viewed QOL as a multidimensional construct influenced by functional recovery, psychosocial resilience, and socioeconomic context.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Findings highlight the need for integrated survivorship pathways that prioritize multidisciplinary rehabilitation, psychological care, financial navigation, and patient-centered education. Strengthening survivorship infrastructure in resource-constrained settings may substantially improve long-term QOL for oral cancer survivors in India.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1805929","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T05:48:08Z","timestamp":1776059288000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["\u201cLife after treatment\u201d: what physicians consider important for oral cancer survivors\u2019 quality of life"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Vikram","family":"Niranjan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick","place":["Limerick, Ireland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sudarshan","family":"Ranpise","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BVP Dental College","place":["Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100046","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sintl.2020.100046","article-title":"Oral cancer diagnosis and perspectives in India","volume":"1","author":"Borse","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sensors International"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"272","DOI":"10.25259\/ANAMS_TFR_12_2024","article-title":"NAMS task force report on oral cancer","volume":"61","author":"Verma","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ann Natl Acad Med Sci"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1413","DOI":"10.1016\/s1470-2045(24)00458-3","article-title":"Global burden of oral cancer in 2022 attributable to smokeless tobacco and areca nut consumption: a population attributable fraction analysis","volume":"25","author":"Rumgay","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1022","DOI":"10.18203\/2394-6040.ijcmph20171318","article-title":"Case control study for risk factors associated with oral cancer in central India","volume":"4","author":"Dhage","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. 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Cancer Care"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1630","DOI":"10.1002\/lary.30340","article-title":"Risk factors for fear of recurrence in head and neck cancer patients","volume":"133","author":"Riggauer","year":"2023","journal-title":"Laryngoscope"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jobcr.2021.02.002","article-title":"Quality of life among head and neck cancer treated patients in South India: a cross-sectional study","volume":"11","author":"Deb Barma","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Oral Biol Craniofac Res"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-02499-1","article-title":"Fear of cancer recurrence and coping strategies among patients with oral cancer: the impact on post-traumatic growth","volume":"13","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychology"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100460","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcpo.2023.100460","article-title":"Financial toxicity and its implication on quality of life in patients attending the palliative care department in a regional cancer centre: An observational study","volume":"39","author":"Nikte","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. 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