TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term swallowing after chemoradiotherapy: A prospective study of functional and patient-reported changes over time
AU - Perry, Alison
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc..
PY - 2016/4/1
Y1 - 2016/4/1
N2 - Background This prospective study evaluated long-term swallowing outcomes and associated risk factors 5 years postchemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Methods Following an earlier study of 69 patients, 39 patients had patient-reported activity and quality of life (QOL) data collected. Twenty-one patients also underwent a videofluoroscopy swallowing study (VFSS). Results Between 6 months and 5 years posttreatment, patient-reported activity for solid foods significantly improved (p <.001), returning to pretreatment levels for 74% of patients. On VFSS, swallowing function for semisolids declined, with 5 patients demonstrating a clinically significant deterioration. Factors that predicted poorer long-term swallowing were the same as at 6 months, with the addition of older age and disease stage. Conclusion Although long-term patient-reported activity improves and swallowing-related QOL is high, up to 24% of patients may demonstrate a clinically significant deterioration in swallowing function at 5 years posttreatment. This divergence suggests a degree of adaptation that patients develop, which warrants further investigation.
AB - Background This prospective study evaluated long-term swallowing outcomes and associated risk factors 5 years postchemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Methods Following an earlier study of 69 patients, 39 patients had patient-reported activity and quality of life (QOL) data collected. Twenty-one patients also underwent a videofluoroscopy swallowing study (VFSS). Results Between 6 months and 5 years posttreatment, patient-reported activity for solid foods significantly improved (p <.001), returning to pretreatment levels for 74% of patients. On VFSS, swallowing function for semisolids declined, with 5 patients demonstrating a clinically significant deterioration. Factors that predicted poorer long-term swallowing were the same as at 6 months, with the addition of older age and disease stage. Conclusion Although long-term patient-reported activity improves and swallowing-related QOL is high, up to 24% of patients may demonstrate a clinically significant deterioration in swallowing function at 5 years posttreatment. This divergence suggests a degree of adaptation that patients develop, which warrants further investigation.
U2 - 10.1002/hed.23991
DO - 10.1002/hed.23991
M3 - Article
VL - 38
SP - -
JO - Head And Neck-Journal For The Sciences And Specialties Of The Head And Neck
JF - Head And Neck-Journal For The Sciences And Specialties Of The Head And Neck
ER -