Structural mobility in deglutition after single modality treatment of head and neck carcinomas with radiotherapy

Abstract

Background: The results of a preliminary study designed to evaluate swallowing function in patients 1 year after successful treatment of head and neck carcinomas with radiotherapy are reported.

Methods: Movement of the velum, hyoid, larynx, tongue base, and posterior pharyngeal wall were objectively assessed by dynamic videofluoroscopy. Mean values of each swallowing parameter measured from the study group were compared with normative data from a group of 60 normal control subjects. The radiotherapy patient group was divided based on the location of the primary tumor in an attempt to correlate the effect of tumor location on swallowing.

Results: Hyoid displacement was decreased in radiotherapy patients and the hyoid elevated maximally independent of bolus size, unlike control subjects, in whom hyoid displacement increased with increases in bolus size. Patients with tongue base tumors demonstrated decreased pharyngeal constriction compared with patients with larynx and pharynx/nasopharynx tumors.

Conclusions: A generalized decrease in the mobility of pharyngeal structures is demonstrated after radiotherapy.