title: Aspiration as a late complication after accelerated versus conventional radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: Conclusion Neck dissection after radiotherapy increased the risk of aspiration as a late effect in a sub-sample of patients treated for head and neck cancer in the ARTSCAN study. Patients treated with accelerated fractionation (AF) developed aspiration, with or without coughing, more frequently than patients treated with conventional fractionation (CF). Objectives A long-term follow-up study was conducted to determine the frequency of aspiration as a late effect in patients with head and neck cancer treated with AF or CF. Method One-hundred and eight patients were recruited from two centres of the Swedish multi-centre study, ARTSCAN, where AF and CF were compared. Patients with positive lymph nodes were treated with neck dissection after completing radiotherapy. The follow-up was performed at a median of 65 months after initiation of radiotherapy and included an ENT and a videofluoroscopic examination. Results Aspiration was found in 51/108 (47%) and silent aspiration in 34/96 (35%) patients. Neck dissection (n = 47 patients) was significantly associated with both aspiration and silent aspiration. Aspiration was more common among patients treated with AF (34/61; 56%) compared to CF (17/47; 36%; p = 0.053). Silent aspiration was also more common after AF (24/54; 44%) than after CF (10/42; 24%; p = 0.052).
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Radiation Physics , Lund University , Sweden ;|b Department of Otorhinolaryngology , Kirkenes Hospital , Norway ;
authors.forename: Ulrika
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lindblom
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Radiation Physics , Skåne University Hospital, Lund University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: d Department of Clinical Sciences , Otorhinolaryngology, Umeå University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gärskog
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Sciences, Oncology and Radiation Physics , Skåne University Hospital, Lund University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kjellen
authors.affiliation: d Department of Clinical Sciences , Otorhinolaryngology, Umeå University , Sweden ;|e Department of Surgical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology , Uppsala University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laurell
authors.affiliation: f Department of Clinical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology , Skåne University Hospital, Lund University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wahlberg
authors.affiliation: g Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology , Umeå University , Sweden ;
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zackrisson
authors.affiliation: h Department of Odontology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology , Umeå University , Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Levring Jäghagen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000209:etiology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation
keywords: Late effect; dysphagia; follow-up; neck dissection; sequelae; swallowing disorders; videofluoroscopy