title: Effect of induction chemotherapy on swallow physiology and saliva production in patients with head and neck cancer: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No objective data are available to assess the potential damage induction chemotherapy alone contributes to swallowing physiology and salivary production in patients with locally and regionally confined head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with head and neck cancer were evaluated preinduction and postinduction chemotherapy. Assessment included: (1) percentage of nutrition taken orally and food consistencies in diet; (2) videofluorographic swallow evaluation; (3) whole mouth saliva collection; (4) quality-of-life questionnaire; and (5) pain and oral mucositis scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were able to consume most foods and took 100% of their nutrition orally both preinduction and postinduction chemotherapy. Although a number of swallow measures worsened, no statistically significant differences were observed in diet, quality of life measures, pain, or saliva weight, or in most temporal swallow measures. Pharyngeal residue decreased significantly after chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Induction chemotherapy alone did not significantly negatively alter swallowing physiology and salivary secretion, although the trend was toward worsening in function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Bharat B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Barbara Roa
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Pauloski
authors.forename: Alfred W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Rademaker
authors.forename: Muveddet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Discekici-Harris
authors.forename: Irene B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Helenowski
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mellot
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agulnik
authors.forename: Jerilyn A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Logemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: chemotherapy; head and neck cancer; quality of life; saliva; swallow physiology; videofluorography