title: Quality of life and functional evaluation in patients with tongue base tumors treated exclusively with transoral robotic surgery: A 1-year follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate quality-of-life (QoL), swallowing and voice in patients with base of tongue (BOT) tumors treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) alone without any adjuvant treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a prospective, single-center cohort trial. Swallowing, QoL and voice were evaluated in 13 patients with T1 or T2 oropharyngeal carcinomas of the BOT. Patients underwent evaluation using the following: a dysphagia score (DS); fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation-of-swallowing with the penetration aspiration scale (PAS); the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI); and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjective (DS) and objective (PAS) evaluation of swallowing produced mean scores of 1.08, 2.23 and 1.46 before surgery and at 6 and 12 months after surgery, respectively, for both tests. A significant difference was found when comparing DS and PAS data at baseline and 6 months after surgery; while no difference was observed between the baseline and 12 months after surgery. The mean values of the MDADI and VHI scores recorded before surgery, and at 6 and 12 months after surgery did not show any statistical difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Objective swallowing deterioration in the first 6 months after TORS alone for BOT tumors was possible, but complete recovery of deglutition was observed within 12 months. No changes were reported in the patients' self-perceived status of swallowing and voice dysfunction, and related QoL after 1 year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Head: G. Mercante, MD), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: mercante.giuseppe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mercante
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Head: G. Mercante, MD), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masiello
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics-Scientific Direction, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sperduti
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Head: G. Mercante, MD), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cristalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Head: G. Mercante, MD), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pellini
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Head: G. Mercante, MD), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spriano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Base of tongue; Oropharyngeal cancer; Quality of life; Swallowing; TORS; Trans-oral robotic surgery