title: Aspiration risk and postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the aspiration risk following postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer. Thirty-seven patients had Modified Barium Swallow before and following treatment. Dysphagia severity was graded from 1 to 7. Before treatment there were sixteen grade 1, seventeen grade 2, three grade 3 and one grade 5. Following postoperative radiation, two patients had grade 1, eleven patients had grade 2, thirteen patients had grade 3, four patients had grade 4, four patients had grade 5, one patients had grade 6, and two patients had grade 7. Nineteen percent (7/37) of the patients developed aspiration (grade 5-7). Aspiration is life-threatening and may develop for all tumor sites and stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724-5081, USA.
authors.forename: Nam P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Candace C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Moltz
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Herbert J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Ly M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Sabah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sallah
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors