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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Mar;41(3):606-614.
doi: 10.1002/hed.25344. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

The impact of time after radiation treatment on dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer enrolled in a swallowing therapy program

Douglas J Van Daele  1 , Susan E Langmore  2 , Gintas P Krisciunas  3 , Cathy L Lazarus  4 , Barbara R Pauloski  5 , Timothy M McCulloch  6 , Gary D Gramigna  7 , Barbara P Messing  8 , Cynthia W Wagner  9 , Sarah L Mott  10
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The impact of time after radiation treatment on dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer enrolled in a swallowing therapy program

Douglas J Van Daele et al. Head Neck. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Swallowing dysfunction after radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer can be devastating. A randomized control trial compared swallow exercises versus exercise plus neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy and found no overall difference in outcomes.

Methods: Quality of life (QOL), diet, and swallowing variables collected at discrete intervals on 117 patients were reanalyzed to test the hypothesis that shorter time between the completion of radiotherapy and beginning of the swallowing therapy program yielded improved outcomes.

Results: At baseline, subjects < 1 year post radiation had significantly better function than subjects >2 years post RT in several measures. Over the therapy program, the early group showed significant improvement in diet and QOL. Swallowing physiologic variables showed no difference between groups.

Conclusion: Beginning a swallowing therapy program within 1 year of completion of radiotherapy demonstrates more consistent improvement in QOL and diet performance compared to later periods.

Keywords: dysphagia; head and neck cancer; neuromuscular electrical stimulation; rehabilitation; swallowing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None

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