<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_raon-2019-0028_s_011_w2aab3b7c15b1b6b1aab1c18b1Aa"><h3>Background</h3><p>Dysphagia is a common consequence of treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dysphagia in a group of patients treated for HNC in Slovenia, and to identify factors contributing to the development of dysphagia.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0028_s_012_w2aab3b7c15b1b6b1aab1c18b2Aa"><h3>Patients and methods</h3><p>One-hundred-nine consecutive patients treated for HNC at two tertiary centers were recruited during their follow-up visits. They fulfilled EORTC QLQ-H&amp;N35 and “Swallowing Disorders after Head and Neck Cancer Treatment questionnaire” questionnaires. Patients with dysphagia were compared to those without it.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0028_s_013_w2aab3b7c15b1b6b1aab1c18b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>Problems with swallowing were identified in 41.3% of the patients. Dysphagia affected their social life (in 75.6%), especially eating in public (in 80%). Dysphagia was found the most often in the patients with oral cavity and/or oropharyngeal cancer (in 57.6%) and in those treated less than 2 years ago (p = 0.014). In univariate analysis, a significant relationship was observed between dysphagia prevalence and some of the consequences of anti-cancer treatment (impaired mouth opening, sticky saliva, loss of smell, impaired taste, oral and throat pain, persistent cough, and hoarseness), radiotherapy (p = 0.003), and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (p = 0.027). After multiple regression modelling only persistent cough remained.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0028_s_014_w2aab3b7c15b1b6b1aab1c18b4Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>In order to improve swallowing abilities and, consequently, quality of life of the patients with HNC a systematic rehabilitation of swallowing should be organized. A special emphasis should be given to gastroesophageal reflux treatment before, during and after therapy for HNC</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundDysphagia is a common consequence of treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dysphagia in a group of patients treated for HNC in Slovenia, and to identify factors contributing to the development of dysphagia.Patients and methodsOne-hundred-nine consecutive patients treated for HNC at two tertiary centers were recruited during their follow-up visits. They fulfilled EORTC QLQ-H&N35 and “Swallowing Disorders after Head and Neck Cancer Treatment questionnaire” questionnaires. Patients with dysphagia were compared to those without it.ResultsProblems with swallowing were identified in 41.3% of the patients. Dysphagia affected their social life (in 75.6%), especially eating in public (in 80%). Dysphagia was found the most often in the patients with oral cavity and/or oropharyngeal cancer (in 57.6%) and in those treated less than 2 years ago (p = 0.014). In univariate analysis, a significant relationship was observed between dysphagia prevalence and some of the consequences of anti-cancer treatment (impaired mouth opening, sticky saliva, loss of smell, impaired taste, oral and throat pain, persistent cough, and hoarseness), radiotherapy (p = 0.003), and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (p = 0.027). After multiple regression modelling only persistent cough remained.ConclusionsIn order to improve swallowing abilities and, consequently, quality of life of the patients with HNC a systematic rehabilitation of swallowing should be organized. A special emphasis should be given to gastroesophageal reflux treatment before, during and after therapy for HNC

Swallowing disorders after treatment for head and neck cancer

Radiology and Oncology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Swallowing disorders after treatment for head and neck cancer"}

BackgroundDysphagia is a common consequence of treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dysphagia...

Parameter	No Dysphagia	Dysphagia	P-Value
	N = 64	N = 45
Swallowing vs. non-swallowing area
Oral cavity, oropharynx,
hypopharynx, larynx (N= 84)	45 (70.3%)	39 (86.7%)	0.046
Nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses,
nasopharynx, metastases (N = 25)	19 (29.7%)	6 (13.3%)
TNM stage*
Stages I-III	41 (64.1%)	17 (37.8%)	0.005
Stages IV	17 (26.6%)	23 (51.1%)
Treatment modalities
Surgery	19 (29.7%)	3 (6.7%)
RT or concurrent RT-CT	15 (23.4%)	11 ((24.4%)
Surgery + RT or RT-CT	30 (46.9%)	31 (57.4%)	0.010
Role of RT
RT included in treatment	45 (70.3%)	42 (93.3%)	0.002
Therapy completed
Less than 2 years ago	15 (23.4%)	21 (46.7%)	0.014
Two years or more ago	49 (76.6%)	24 (53.3%)
Oral problems
Mucosa irritability	23 (35.9%)	28 (62.2%)	0.007
Mouth wide opening	5 (7.8%)	15 (33.3%)	0.001
Thick and sticky saliva	35 (54.7%)	38 (84.4%)	0.001
Problems with chewing	4 (6.3%)	16 (35.6%)	0.000
Problems with
Feeding	5 (7.8%)	35 (77.8%)	0.000
Feeding in the presence of family	3 (4.7%)	28 (62.2%)	0.000
Feeding in the public	7 (10.9%)	36 (80%)	0.000
Enjoying food	3 (4.7%)	17 (37.7%)	0.000
Avoiding public areas	18 (28.1%)	34 (75.6%)	0.020
Loss of smell	7 (10.9%)	15 (33.3%)	0.004
Impaired taste	18 (28.1%)	34 (75.6%)	0.000
Acid reflux and heartburn	18 (28.1%)	22 (48.9%)	0.027
Pain
Oral pain	4 (6.3%)	14 (31.1%)	0.001
Throat pain	12 (18.8%)	18 (40%)	0.014
Persistent coughing	30 (46.9%)	38 (84.4%)	0.000
History of recurrent pneumonia	2 (3.1%)	7 (15.6%)	0.031
Presence of hoarseness	25 (39.1%)	28 (62.2%)	0.017
Loss of weight	17 (26.6%)	24 (53.3%)	0.005
Use of nutritional supplements	6 (9.3%)	16 (35.6%)	0.001

Swallowing disorders after treatment for head and neck cancer

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Jun 01, 2019

Page range: 225 - 230

Received: Feb 04, 2019

Accepted: Apr 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2019-0028

© 2019 Martina Pezdirec, Primoz Strojan, Irena Hocevar Boltezar, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Comparison of the patients with dysphagia and the patients without dysphagia after head and neck treatment. Only the significant results are presented