title: Long-term functional outcomes in surgically treated patients with oropharyngeal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As survival rates in oropharyngeal cancer improve, long-term functional outcomes are increasingly important to understand. We report long-term functional outcomes in a cohort of surviving patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with primary surgery ± radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing primary surgery for oropharyngeal cancer in Oxford, United Kingdom, between 2000 and 2010 were identified. The University of Washington Quality-of- Life and MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory questionnaires were sent to all patients. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the relationship between clinical factors and swallowing outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty percent of patients required gastrostomy-tube placement (mean feed duration, 114 days). On multivariate analysis, increased age, advanced T stage, and an open surgical approach were associated with significantly reduced quality-of-life scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean functional scores were comparable to previously published series of patients treated with primary surgery. Gastrostomy insertion rate was lower than in many previously published studies. Furthermore, specific variables have been identified that are associated with adverse functional outcome.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Oliver T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eves
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Penny L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rupali T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, John Radcliffe/Churchill Hospitals, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stuart C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003679:Deglutition; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Quality of life; head and neck; oropharynx