Dysphagia in tongue cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors for dysphagia in tongue cancer patients. Dysphagia is a common complication of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in tongue cancer patients. Previous studies have attempted to identify risk factors for dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer, but no studies have focused specifically on tongue cancer patients.


METHODS
This study was conducted on 133 patients who were diagnosed with tongue cancer and who underwent a videofluoroscopy swallowing study (VFSS) between January 2007 and June 2012 at the Asan Medical Center. Data collected from the VFSS were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with aspiration were identified.


RESULTS
Patients showed a higher incidence of inadequate tongue control, inadequate chewing, delayed oral transit time, aspiration or penetration, vallecular pouch and pyriform residue, and inadequate laryngeal elevation after surgery. Moreover, male gender, extensive tumor resection, a higher node stage, and more extensive lymph node dissection were major risk factors for aspiration in tongue cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Tongue cancer patients have difficulties in the pharyngeal phase as well as the oral phase of swallowing. These difficulties can worsen after tongue cancer surgery. Gender, the extent of tumor resection, and lymph node metastasis affect swallowing in tongue cancer patients. Physicians should take these risk factors into account when administering swallowing therapy to tongue cancer patients.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yu Ri
YR
Son
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyoung Hyo
KH
Choi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Tae Gyun
TG
Kim
Aspiration; Dysphagia; Head and neck cancer; Tongue cancer; Videofluoroscopic swallowing study