title: Tongue function in patients treated for malignancies in tongue and/or floor of mouth; a one year prospective study.
abstract: Progress in (reconstructive) surgery and radiotherapy tends to improve survival and reduce oral functional deficits. Despite the growing sophistication of cancer treatment, patients still report deterioration in tongue function. Sensory function, mobility, and force of the tongue were determined in 45 patients with a carcinoma of tongue and/or floor of mouth. Measurements were performed before surgery, shortly after surgery, shortly after radiotherapy, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Surgery had a negative impact on tongue sensory function and mobility. Post-surgery radiotherapy did not further deteriorate sensory function, mobility, or force of the tongue. Patients in the surgery-radiotherapy group (SRG) had significantly worse tongue sensory function and mobility than patients in the surgery group (SG), probably caused by more advanced tumour stage and more extensive reconstructions and related scar tissue. The tongue force in patients in both groups significantly increased in the first 6 months after surgery, but this increase disappeared in the next 6 months. The authors conclude that surgery had a significant negative influence on tongue function, especially in the group of patients treated with radiotherapy. No further deterioration of tongue function was observed after post-surgical radiotherapy within the first year after surgery.
authors: Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics and Special Dental Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. c.m.speksnijder@umcutrecht.nl
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Speksnijder
authors: A
authors: A
authors: van der Bilt
authors: H W
authors: HW
authors: van der Glas
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Koole
authors: M A W
authors: MA
authors: Merkx
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D009068:Movement; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome