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Swallowing performance and tube feeding status in patients treated with parotid‐sparing intensity‐modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Roe Justin W.G.,
Carding Paul N.,
Drinnan Michael J.,
Harrington Kevin J.,
Nutting Christopher M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.24255
Subject(s) - swallowing , medicine , head and neck cancer , feeding tube , radiation therapy , prospective cohort study , performance status , head and neck , statistical significance , cancer , surgery
Background The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the swallowing performance of patients with head and neck cancer treated with parotid‐sparing intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods Sixty‐two patients were recruited. Data were collected before and up to 12 months after treatment. Measures included the Performance Status Scale for head and neck cancer (PSS‐HN Normalcy of Diet and Eating in Public subscales), tube feeding status, and 100 mL water swallow test (WST) volume and capacity scores. Results There was a significant reduction in PSS‐HN and WST scores from baseline to 3 months ( p < .001). Significant improvements were observed up to 12 months on the PSS‐HN. Swallowing volume and capacity scores recovered but did not reach statistical significance. Tube feeding was not required in 47% of the patients. Conclusion IMRT significantly impacts on swallowing performance, although there is a trend for improvement up to 12 months after treatment. Our data support a case‐by‐case approach to tube feeding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38 : E1436–E1444, 2016