Swallowing function in patients with head and neck cancer prior to treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To define the site-specific swallowing dysfunctions of patients with head and neck cancer with respect to tumor site and stage by, videofluoroscopic oropharyngeal motility (OPM) study prior to initiation of treatment.


METHODS
Retrospective survey.


METHODS
Academic university institution.


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 79 patients with stage III or IV head and neck cancer without prior treatment or tracheotomy. Patients were divided into groups according to tumor site: oral cavity (n = 7), oropharynx (n = 27), larynx (n = 24), and hypopharynx (n = 10). Patients with sinonasal, nasopharyngeal, and unknown primary carcinomas served as the comparison group (n = 11).


METHODS
All patients underwent OPM study prior to treatment.


METHODS
Parameters of swallowing function, including oral impairment, pharyngeal impairment, cervical esophageal impairment, aspiration, and Swallowing Performance Status Scale (SPSS) score (a global measure of swallowing function) were extracted from the pretreatment OPM study and analyzed with reference to tumor site, T stage, and overall stage. The relations between tumor site and area or degree of dysfunction, and between stage of disease and area or degree of dysfunction were analyzed using chi2 and Fisher exact tests.


RESULTS
Aspiration status, cervical esophageal impairment, and pharyngeal impairment examined as a function of disease site showed statistically significant differences between groups, with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal sites revealing the most severe dysfunctions. The SPSS score did not correlate with tumor site, T stage, or overall stage. Other OPM parameters analyzed as a function of T stage and overall stage revealed no consistent patterns.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypopharyngeal and laryngeal disease sites have a high degree of pretreatment functional impairment. The SPSS score is a good global measure of swallowing dysfunction. In addition, significant site-specific dysfunctions are found when the OPM study is analyzed via its separate parameters. It is therefore critical that posttreatment function is compared with baseline pretreatment dysfunction.
Stenson
K M
KM
Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Ill 60637, USA. kstenson@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu
MacCracken
E
E
List
M
M
Haraf
D J
DJ
Brockstein
B
B
Weichselbaum
R
R
Vokes
E E
EE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003287:Contrast Media; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D014741:Video Recording
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate