[Speech intelligibility degree and coping after multimodal therapy of oral squamous carcinoma].
BACKGROUND
Multimodal treatment of oral cancer can cause speech disorders and diminish speech intelligibility. Speech intelligibility is an essential part of social interaction and therefore important for coping with the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of speech intelligibility on coping strategies and a standardized questionnaire.


METHODS
Speech recordings from 76 patients 60.7 ± 11.4 years old (19 women, 57 men) were performed at least 6 months after multimodal treatment of T1-T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and evaluated by automatic speech recognition. Speech intelligibility was quantized as correctly recognized words of a standard text (word recognition rate WR). Coping was evaluated by the Trier Scales of Coping Strategies via questionnaires.


RESULTS
Speech intelligibility scores WR rated between 22.2% and 84.3% (mean value 54.2 ± 15.7). Coping strategies vary considerably between the patients and between the scales. WR and the Trier Scales significantly correlate in 3 of the 5 categories (Rumination, Search for Information and Exchange of Experiences).


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced speech intelligibility after multimodal treatment of oral cancer is associated with a change of coping strategy. This includes not only communication-based strategies (Search for Information and Exchange of Experiences) but also intra-psychic processes like rumination.
Abteilung für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Germany.
M
M
Sambale
M
M
Schuster
T
T
Bocklet
A
A
Maier
U
U
Eysholdt
A
A
Ströbele
F
F
Stelzle
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011340:Problem Solving; D012944:Social Support; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D049250:Speech Recognition Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires