{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T22:03:55Z","timestamp":1791669835915,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]],"date-time":"2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742169600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cancers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Laryngeal cancer affects quality of life (QoL), speech, and swallowing. Total laryngectomy (TL) causes severe impairments, while partial laryngectomy (PL) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) preserve the organ but yield variable outcomes. This study assesses QoL, speech rehabilitation, swallowing, and social reintegration across these treatments. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the ENT Clinic, Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timi\u0219oara; recruitment was conducted between October 2019 and January 2024. Seventy-five patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) were initially enrolled but only 15 patients (20%) completed the 12-month follow-up, with an attrition rate of 80%. Tumor stages ranged from T1 to T4a, with TL patients having a higher proportion of advanced-stage disease (Stage III\u2013IV: 76%) compared to PL (45%) and CRT (50%). Validated instruments, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Head and Neck Cancer (EORTC QLQ-H&amp;N35), the Voice Handicap Index-30 (VHI-30), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS), were used to assess QoL, voice function, swallowing function, and psychological impact. Results: At 12 months, the global QoL score from the EORTC QLQ-H&amp;N35 was lowest in TL patients (49.8 \u00b1 10.9), significantly lower than both PL (61.2 \u00b1 9.6, p = 0.002) and CRT (64.1 \u00b1 7.8, p &lt; 0.001). Post hoc Bonferroni analysis confirmed significant pairwise differences between TL vs. PL (p = 0.002) and TL vs. CRT (p &lt; 0.001), while the difference between PL and CRT was non-significant (p = 0.14). TL patients had higher speech-related disability (VHI: 88.3 \u00b1 12.6) and dysphagia prevalence (DOSS: 4.0 \u00b1 1.2), with 16% remaining enteral feeding-dependent. Anxiety (HADS-A: 7.5 \u00b1 2.9) and depression (HADS-D: 9.0 \u00b1 3.2) were highest in TL patients, with 36% meeting clinical depression criteria at 12 months. Multivariable regression identified TL (OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 2.14\u20135.79, p &lt; 0.001) and advanced tumor stage (OR = 2.85, 95% CI: 1.79\u20134.21, p = 0.002) as strong predictors of poor QoL. Kaplan\u2013Meier analysis showed no significant OS differences (p = 0.12), but CRT patients had lower DFS (78%) compared to TL (82%) and PL (85%) (p = 0.048). Conclusions: TL patients experience the most significant impairments in QoL, speech, and social reintegration despite rehabilitation. CRT patients show higher recurrence rates but better QoL, while PL offers the best balance of function and survival. These findings highlight the need for long-term survivorship support tailored to treatment type.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers17061011","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]],"date-time":"2025-03-17T11:04:22Z","timestamp":1742209462000},"page":"1011","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Long-Term Quality of Life and Functional Outcomes in Patients with Total Laryngectomy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Maria Octavia","family":"Murariu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Doctoral Studies, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eugen Radu","family":"Boia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ENT Department, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adrian Mihail","family":"Sitaru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatric Surgery, \u201cLouis Turcanu\u201d Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, Iosif Nemoianu Street 2, 300011 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristian Ion","family":"Mot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ENT Department, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3002-7656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mihaela Cristina","family":"Negru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ENT Department, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexandru Cristian","family":"Brici","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Unit, County Emergency Hospital Resita, 320154 Resita, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Delia Elena","family":"Zahoi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy and Embryology, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7755-4608","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicolae Constantin","family":"Balica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ENT Department, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21492","article-title":"Global Cancer Statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries","volume":"68","author":"Bray","year":"2018","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. Clin."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1158\/1055-9965.EPI-08-0347","article-title":"Interaction between Tobacco and Alcohol Use and the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: Pooled Analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium","volume":"18","author":"Hashibe","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cancer Epidemiol. Biomark. 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