Where are we with clinical outcomes in head and neck cancer?

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Abstract
In this review clinical outcomes are considered in terms of three categories: observer-based outcomes, measurement-based outcomes, and patient-based outcomes. Observer-and measurement-based outcomes are important but do not necessarily reflect patients’ perceptions. Some false assumptions persist in this regard when reporting outcomes of surgery for head and neck cancer. Although it is important to measure and observe real differences in outcome, it still needs to be shown that these changes make a difference from the patients’ point of view. This paper examines these issues in relation to recent reports of treatment for laryngeal cancer, oral cancer, metastatic neck disease, and cancer of the parotid region.