title: Radiotherapy deteriorates postoperative functional outcome after partial glossectomy with free flap reconstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most patients with tongue cancer require surgical resection of the tongue to varying degrees. As a result, quality of life, which is strongly related to speech, chewing, and swallowing, can deteriorate severely from extensive surgical treatment of tongue cancer. In addition to surgery, adjuvant therapy may affect the severity of functional impairment. Therefore, the influence of postoperative radiotherapy on functional outcome after partial glossectomy with free flap reconstruction was evaluated in patients with early oral tongue cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional outcome was measured and charts of 31 patients with oral tongue cancer who were surgically treated at Yonsei Head and Neck Cancer Clinic from 2003 through 2008 were reviewed. Only patients who underwent partial glossectomy and reconstruction with radial forearm free flap and did not develop recurrence were included. Speech integrity was evaluated with diadochokinetic testing by a professional speech therapist. Tongue mobility was checked by measurements of upward distance, protrusion distance, and lateral deviation distance. Swallowing capacity was evaluated with the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diadochokinetic rates of the surgery-only and postoperative radiotherapy groups were 27.8 and 23.9, respectively, which was statistically different. Swallowing capacity was significantly superior in the surgery-only group. Tongue mobility was not statistically different between the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional outcome of speech and swallowing is negatively influenced by postoperative radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo Seob
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yoon Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Se-Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Sanghyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hyun Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Eun Chang
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003679:Deglutition / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D005927:Glossectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D037981:Neck Dissection; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013060:Speech / Q000528:radiation effects; D014059:Tongue / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome