title: Pharyngoesophageal stricture after treatment for head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to report the risk of pharyngoesophageal stricture after treatment for head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human studies on radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy for head and neck cancer published in peer-reviewed journals with assessment of pharyngoesophageal stricture with barium swallow or endoscopy were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4727 patients from 26 studies treated between 1989 and 2008 were eligible for analysis. The reported overall risk of stricture was 7.2%. The risks of pharyngoesophageal stricture in both conventional and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) studies were 5.7% and 16.7%, respectively (p < .001). Use of concurrent (p < .001) and taxane (p = .01) chemotherapy was associated with the IMRT technique. Prospective studies reported a 3.3-fold increased risk of stricture compared with that of retrospective studies (odds ratio: 3.3; 95% confidence interval: 2.3-4.8; p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharyngoesophageal stricture after IMRT and chemotherapy treatment for head and neck cancer is not uncommon. Videofluoroscopic swallow study should be performed prospectively to evaluate swallowing function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Jing Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tessa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Allison S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cianchetti
authors.forename: Annie W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors