TY - JOUR
T1 - Swallowing after Oral Oncological Treatment
T2 - A Five-Year Prospective Study
AU - Speksnijder, Caroline M
AU - Ortiz-Comino, Lucía
AU - de Haan, Anton F J
AU - Fernández-Lao, Carolina
AU - de Bree, Remco
AU - Merkx, Matthias A W
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/9/1
Y1 - 2023/9/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Swallowing rehabilitation in curative treated patients with oral cancer is still a challenge. Different factors may influence these patients' swallowing function. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with swallowing function up to 5 years after cancer treatment.METHODS: Swallowing duration and frequency of 5 mL water and 15 mL applesauce were measured in 123 patients treated for oral cancer. Mixed model analyses were performed to identify associated factors.RESULTS: Age influenced all measured swallowing outcomes. Assessment moment, gender, tumor location, maximum tongue force, and tactile sensory function of the tongue were associated with both water and applesauce swallowing duration, tumor classification was associated with water swallowing duration, and alcohol consumption was associated with applesauce swallowing duration. Assessment moment, cancer treatment, maximum tongue force, and tactile sensory function of the tongue were associated with water and applesauce swallowing frequency.CONCLUSION: Patients who are older at diagnosis, women, and patients who regularly consume alcohol before their treatment may have poorer swallow functioning after curative oral cancer treatment. Patients that fit these criteria should have their swallowing evaluated during clinical follow-ups and sent to swallowing therapy when needed. During this therapy, optimizing tongue function needs attention to maintain an optimal swallowing function.
AB - BACKGROUND: Swallowing rehabilitation in curative treated patients with oral cancer is still a challenge. Different factors may influence these patients' swallowing function. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with swallowing function up to 5 years after cancer treatment.METHODS: Swallowing duration and frequency of 5 mL water and 15 mL applesauce were measured in 123 patients treated for oral cancer. Mixed model analyses were performed to identify associated factors.RESULTS: Age influenced all measured swallowing outcomes. Assessment moment, gender, tumor location, maximum tongue force, and tactile sensory function of the tongue were associated with both water and applesauce swallowing duration, tumor classification was associated with water swallowing duration, and alcohol consumption was associated with applesauce swallowing duration. Assessment moment, cancer treatment, maximum tongue force, and tactile sensory function of the tongue were associated with water and applesauce swallowing frequency.CONCLUSION: Patients who are older at diagnosis, women, and patients who regularly consume alcohol before their treatment may have poorer swallow functioning after curative oral cancer treatment. Patients that fit these criteria should have their swallowing evaluated during clinical follow-ups and sent to swallowing therapy when needed. During this therapy, optimizing tongue function needs attention to maintain an optimal swallowing function.
KW - head and neck cancer
KW - oral function
KW - oral oncology
KW - swallowing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170284816&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/cancers15174371
DO - 10.3390/cancers15174371
M3 - Article
C2 - 37686646
SN - 2072-6694
VL - 15
JO - Cancers
JF - Cancers
IS - 17
M1 - 4371
ER -