BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess swallowing outcomes in a cohort of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) undergoing nonoperative treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who completed videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) after nonoperative treatment of oropharyngeal SCC. All patients received intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) ± chemotherapy. Swallowing abnormalities were recorded and the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) quantified airway infiltration. RESULTS: Posttreatment VFSS (n = 71) occurred at an average of 4.69 months posttreatment. Abnormal PAS was noted in 45% of swallow studies. Swallowing decompensations included reduced pharyngeal constriction (75%), epiglottic tilt (70%), cricopharyngeal opening (42%), and hyoid excursion (42%). The only variable independently associated with abnormal PAS was pretreatment swallowing difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 4.02; p = .009). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that patients undergoing nonsurgical treatment for oropharyngeal SCC are at risk for posttreatment dysphagia. This suggests a need for dysphagia evaluation/management and refinement of interventions to minimize dysphagia.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess swallowing outcomes in a cohort of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) undergoing nonoperative treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who completed videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) after nonoperative treatment of oropharyngeal SCC. All patients received intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) ± chemotherapy. Swallowing abnormalities were recorded and the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) quantified airway infiltration. RESULTS: Posttreatment VFSS (n = 71) occurred at an average of 4.69 months posttreatment. Abnormal PAS was noted in 45% of swallow studies. Swallowing decompensations included reduced pharyngeal constriction (75%), epiglottic tilt (70%), cricopharyngeal opening (42%), and hyoid excursion (42%). The only variable independently associated with abnormal PAS was pretreatment swallowing difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 4.02; p = .009). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that patients undergoing nonsurgical treatment for oropharyngeal SCC are at risk for posttreatment dysphagia. This suggests a need for dysphagia evaluation/management and refinement of interventions to minimize dysphagia.
Authors: Lauren Ottenstein; Hannah Cornett; Jeffrey M Switchenko; Meghana Nathan; Susan Thomas; Amanda I Gillespie; Nancy McColloch; Tiffany Barrett; Matthew B Studer; Meghan Brinkman; Azeem S Kaka; Brian J Boyce; Robert L Ferris; Ashley H Aiken; Mark El-Deiry; Jonathan J Beitler; Mihir R Patel Journal: Head Neck Date: 2021-02-05 Impact factor: 3.147
Authors: Ryan P Goepfert; Jan S Lewin; Martha P Barrow; G Brandon Gunn; C David Fuller; Beth M Beadle; Adam S Garden; David I Rosenthal; Merrill S Kies; Vassiliki Papadimitrakopoulou; Stephen Y Lai; Neil D Gross; David L Schwartz; Katherine A Hutcheson Journal: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys Date: 2016-06-15 Impact factor: 7.038
Authors: Angela T T Wong; Stephen Y Lai; G Brandon Gunn; Beth M Beadle; Clifton D Fuller; Martha P Barrow; Theresa M Hofstede; Mark S Chambers; Erich M Sturgis; Abdallah Sherif Radwan Mohamed; Jan S Lewin; Katherine A Hutcheson Journal: Oral Oncol Date: 2017-01-21 Impact factor: 5.337
Authors: Heather M Starmer; Rina Abrams; Kimberly Webster; Jennifer Kizner; Beth Beadle; F Christopher Holsinger; Harry Quon; Jeremy Richmon Journal: Dysphagia Date: 2017-09-30 Impact factor: 3.438
Authors: Yasasvi Tadavarthi; Pouria Hosseini; Stephanie E Reyes; Kendrea L Focht Garand; Jessica M Pisegna; William G Pearson Journal: Dysphagia Date: 2020-05-14 Impact factor: 3.438