Dysphagia severity following chemoradiation and postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study is to evaluate dysphagia severity following chemoradiation and postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer, and particularly the aspiration risk because of its potential life-threatening consequence.


METHODS
We reviewed retrospectively the modified barium swallow (MBS) results in 110 patients who complained of dysphagia following chemoradiation (57) and postoperative radiation (53) of their head and neck cancer. Patients were selected if they were cancer free at the time of the swallowing study. Dysphagia severity was graded on a scale of 1-7. Patients were grouped according to the dysphagia severity: mild (grades 2-3), moderate (grades 4-5), and severe (grades 6-7).


RESULTS
Mean and median dysphagia grades were 4.84/5 and 4.12/4 for chemoradiation and postoperative radiation respectively. The mean difference between the two groups is statistically significant (p=0.02). Mild dysphagia occurred in 13 patients (22%) of the chemoradiation group and 17 (32%) of the postoperative group. Corresponding number for the moderate group was 25 (43%) and 25 (48%), respectively. Severe dysphagia was significant in the chemoradiation group (34%) compared to the postoperative group (19%). However, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.29). There was a higher proportion of patients with large tumor (T3-T4) in the chemoradiation group who developed severe dysphagia.


CONCLUSIONS
Dysphagia remained a significant morbidity of chemoradiation and postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer. Dysphagia may be more severe in the chemoradiation group because of the higher proportion of patients with large tumor, the high radiation dose, and a high number of oropharyngeal tumors. Aspiration occurred in both groups. Diagnostic studies such as MBS should be part of future head and neck cancer prospective studies to assess the prevalence of aspiration, as it may be silent.
Nguyen
Nam P
NP
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, VA North Texas Health Care System, Radiation Oncology Service (140), 4500 S, Lancaster Road, Dallas, TX 72516, United States. NamPhong.Nguyen@med.va.gov
Moltz
Candace C
CC
Frank
Cheryl
C
Karlsson
Ulf
U
Nguyen
Phuc D
PD
Vos
Paul
P
Smith
Herbert J
HJ
Dutta
Suresh
S
Nguyen
Ly M
LM
Lemanski
Claire
C
Chan
Wayne
W
Sallah
Sabah
S