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.

Keywords: Base of tongue; Oropharyngeal cancer; Quality of life; Swallowing; TORS; Trans-oral robotic surgery.