title: Swallowing outcomes following surgical and non-surgical treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer includes surgery, and/or chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy. Each of these treatments results in major changes to the swallowing mechanism. Dysphagia is strongly correlated with poorer quality of life. A good understanding of outcomes is needed for well-informed treatment decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study reports on patients' swallowing outcomes following surgical and non-surgical treatments based on the results of three different swallowing tests. A total of 123 data sets were collected in out-patient clinics across two hospitals in North East England.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between treatment groups for patient-reported swallowing outcomes or swallowing performance. However, patients who had undergone chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy (with or without laryngectomy) had significantly more diet restrictions than other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term dysphagia is a common outcome of treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer. Patients treated with chemoradiotherapy and laryngectomy reported the worst overall outcomes. More longitudinal prospective research with large treatment groups is needed to investigate swallowing outcomes following different treatment methods.
authors.affiliation: Speech and Language Therapy Department, Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burnip
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents