title: Factors affecting swallow outcome following treatment for advanced oral and oropharyngeal malignancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment for tumors of the oral cavity and the oropharynx disrupts normal swallow function. The ability for oral diet postoperatively varies and may be influenced by surgery and patient-related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 114 patients treated with surgery with and without chemoradiotherapy for advanced oral/oropharyngeal cancer were recruited. Clinicopathologic tumor parameters and reconstruction modalities were recorded. Swallow function was determined by oral intake, using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) pretreatment and posttreatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median time to first attaining swallow function was 14 days. Patients were less likely to attain tube independence within 1 year of surgery if they received radiotherapy or had a low FOIS score preoperatively. Patients' time to first attaining swallow function postsurgery was inversely related to the FOIS score presurgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Swallow function recovery postsurgery is better in patients with higher FOIS presurgery, smaller tumors, and no requirement for radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: University College London Hospital, Head and Neck Cancer Service, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalavrezos
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cotrufo
authors.forename: Roganie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Govender
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pirgousis
authors.forename: Sathesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balasundram
authors.forename: Bagrat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lalabekyan
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: head and neck cancer; oral cancer; radiotherapy; reconstruction; swallow