[Non-surgical rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer]

Abstract

The oncological treatment of head and neck tumors, and especially, advanced or metastatic tumor stages, often causes significant impairment in the vital (swallow) and communicative (articulation, phonation) functions. Recently, the quality of life has become such as important as overall survival. Dysphagia has life-threatening consequences, as dehydration, malnutrition and aspiration with choking or pneumonia. The phoniatric rehabilitation with swallow and voice therapy, significantly improves these functions and contributes to the preferred quality of life. Voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy is one of the most challenging tasks in this rehabilitation field.