Personality traits in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients in relation to the disease state, disease extent and prognosis

Objective-We aimed to study whether personality scores, as measured using the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), are associated with the risk and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Material and methods-A total of 78 male patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC and 61 male patients with benign FIN disease completed the EPI, which assesses the following: neuroticism, extraversion and lie score. The TNM stage, prognosis, diagnostic delay, level of education and smoking and alcohol consumption histories of the patients were also recorded. Patients with cachexia and those aged > 80 years were excluded. Results-The cancer patients had higher neuroticism scores (10.7 +/- 0.5 vs 8.3 +/- 0.6; p < 0.01) than the control patients. This association was shown to be secondary to the fact that neuroticism is associated with increased alcohol consumption. The personality trait scores were not associated with the length of diagnostic delay. It was also suggested that a low lie score predicted disease-specific death in the HNSCC patients (p = 0.02). Total survival also seemed to be predictable (p < 0.05). Conclusion - Neuroticism is probably associated with a risk of HNSCC as a result of increased alcohol consumption. If the prognostic results can be replicated, a potentially important association between this personality trait and the prognosis of HNSCC is suggested.