Faculty Collaboration Database

Swallowing disorders in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Laryngoscope 1996 Sep;106(9 Pt 1):1157-66

Date

09/01/1996

Pubmed ID

8822723

DOI

10.1097/00005537-199609000-00021

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0029808397 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   234 Citations

Abstract

The nature of swallowing problems was examined in nine patients treated primarily with external-beam radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy for newly diagnosed tumors of the head and neck. All subjects underwent videofluorographic examination of their swallowing. Three analyses were completed, including the following: observations of motility disorders, residue, and aspiration; temporal analyses; and biomechanical analyses. Oropharyngeal swallow efficiency was calculated for the first swallow of each bolus. Swallow motility disorders were observed in both the oral and pharyngeal stages. Seven of the nine patients demonstrated reduced posterior tongue base movement toward the posterior pharyngeal wall and reduced laryngeal elevation during the swallow. Oropharyngeal swallow efficiency measures were significantly lower in the nine irradiated patients than in age-matched normal subjects. Between patients and normal subjects, significant differences were found in the measures of timing and distance of pharyngeal structural movements during the swallow, as well as in the measures of coordination during the swallow. Although treatment of head and neck cancer with external-beam radiation is designed to provide cancer cure and preserve organ functioning, oral and pharyngeal motility for swallow can become compromised if external-beam radiation treatment is provided to either the larynx or tongue base regions.

Author List

Lazarus CL, Logemann JA, Pauloski BR, Colangelo LA, Kahrilas PJ, Mittal BB, Pierce M

Author

Barbara R. Pauloski PhD, CCC-SLP Associate Professor in the Communication Sciences & Disorders department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Biomechanical Phenomena
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
Deglutition
Deglutition Disorders
Female
Humans
Inhalation
Larynx
Male
Middle Aged
Oropharyngeal Neoplasms
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies