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Objective: We assessed the rate of aspiration following radiation for non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer., Design: Retrospective study., Setting: Veterans Administration Hospital., Patients: Thirty-three patients who underwent radiation for head and neck cancer. Modified barium swallow was performed prior to and following treatment to assess the persistence of dysphagia and aspiration risk. All patients were cancer free at the time of the swallowing study. Dysphagia severity was graded from 1 to 7., Results: Preradiation baseline dysphagia was observed as follows: 10 grade 1, 14 grade 2, 9 grade 3, and 1 grade 4. Following radiation, at a median follow-up of 3 months, nine patients had grade 1, eight patients had grade 2, six patients had grade 3, two patients had grade 4, three patients had grade 5, two patients had grade 6, and three patients had grade 7. Overall, 24% (8 of 33) of the patients developed aspiration (grades 5-7). Fifteen percent (5 of 33) of the patients had severe aspiration (grades 6-7) requiring tube feedings. All patients who developed severe aspiration continued to require tube feedings more than 1 year following treatment completion., Conclusion: Aspiration is a significant source of morbidity following radiation for non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer. Aspiration may develop for all tumour stages or sites. Diagnostic studies such as modified barium swallow should be included in future prospective head and neck cancer studies to assess the prevalence of aspiration because of its often silent nature.

This study examines the efficacy of swallowing therapy in cancer-free patients who developed aspiration following treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancer. The records of 41 patients who underwent swallowing therapy for aspiration were reviewed. All patients were cancer free at a median follow-up of 25 months (6-150 months). Their treatment were respectively chemoradiation (24), and postoperative radiation (17). All patients had two or more modified barium swallow (MBS). Dysphagia severity was graded from 1 to 7. Dysphagia grade was compared before and following swallowing therapy. Before swallowing therapy, there were 16 grade 5 (trace aspiration), and 25 grade 6-7 (severe aspiration). In the chemoradiation group, there were nine grade 5, five grade 6, and 10 grade 7. Corresponding numbers for the postoperative group were: seven grade 5, seven grade 6, and three grade 7. Following swallowing therapy, there were six grade 3, seven grade 4, 10 grade 5, six grade 6, and 12 grade 7. In the chemoradiation group, there were four grade 3, three grade 4, four grade 5, five grade 6, and eight grade 7. In the postoperative group, there were two grade 3, four grade 4, six grade 5, one grade 6, and four grade 7. Overall, 13 patients (32%) had improvement of their dysphagia severity. Seven of them were in the chemoradiation group (29%), and six (35%) were in the postoperative group. Among 25 patients who presented with grade 6-7 aspiration, only nine (36%) improved to grade 5 or less. Four of them (27%) were in the chemoradiation group, and five (29%) were in the postoperative group. Swallowing therapy is effective to improve dysphagia severity and reduce the need for tube feedings. However, a significant number of patients still suffered from chronic severe aspiration. New strategies must be devised to improve their outcome.

Background and Purpose: We would like to assess the prevalence of aspiration before and following chemoradiation for head and neck cancer., Patients and Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) in 63 patients who underwent concurrent chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer. MBS was performed prior to treatment to determine the need for immediate gastrostomy tube placement. MBS was repeated following treatment to assess the safety of oral feeding prior to removal of tube feeding. All patients were cancer free at the time of the swallowing study. No patient had surgery. Dysphagia severity was graded on a scale of 1-7. Tube feedings were continued if patients were diagnosed to have severe aspiration (grade 6-7) or continued weight loss. Patients with abnormal swallow (grade 3-7) received swallowing therapy following MBS., Results: Before treatment, there were 18 grade 1, 18 grade 2, 9 grade 3, 8 grade 4, 3 grade 5, 3 grade 6, and 4 grade 7. Following chemoradiation, at a median follow-up of 2 months (1-10 months), one patient had grade 1, eight patients had grade 2, nine patients had grade 3, eight patients had grade 4, 13 patients had grade 5, seven patients had grade 6, and 11 patients had grade 7. Six patients died from aspiration pneumonia (one before, three during, and two post-treatment), and did not have the second MBS. Overall, 37/63 (59%) patients developed aspiration, six of them (9%) fatal. If we excluded the 10 patients who had severe aspiration at diagnosis and the six patients who died from pneumonia, the prevalence of severe aspiration was 33% (21/63)., Conclusions: Aspiration remained a significant morbidity following chemoradiation for head and neck cancer. Its prevalence is underreported in the literature because of its often silent nature. Diagnostic studies such as MBS should be part of future head and neck cancer prospective studies to assess the prevalence of aspiration, and for rehabilitation.

Background: To assess the prevalence, severity and morbidity of dysphagia following concurrent chemoradiation for head and neck cancer., Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck malignancies were evaluated for their ability to resume oral feeding following treatment. Modified barium swallow (MBS) studies were performed if the patients complained of dysphagia or if there was clinical suspicion of aspiration. The severity of dysphagia was graded on a scale of 1-7. If significant abnormalities were found, swallowing studies were repeated until resolution of dysphagia., Results: Between March 1999 and May 2002, 55 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer underwent concurrent chemotherapy and radiation. Aspiration pneumonia was observed in eight patients, three during treatment and five following treatment. Five patients died from pneumonia. Two patients developed respiratory failure requiring intubation as a complication of pneumonia. At a median follow-up of 17 months (range 6-48 months), 25 patients (45%) developed severe dysphagia requiring prolonged tube feedings for more than 3 months (22 patients) or repeated dilatations (three patients). Among 33 patients who underwent MBS following treatment, 12 patients (36%) had silent aspiration (grade 6-7 dysphagia). Thirteen patients (39%) developed grade 4-5 dysphagia which required prolonged enteral nutritional support to supplement their oral intake. Most patients had severe weight loss (0-21 kg) during treatment, likely due in part to mucositis in the orodigestive tube., Conclusions: Dysphagia is a common, debilitating and potentially life-threatening sequela of concurrent chemoradiation for head and neck malignancy. Physicians should be aware that the clinical manifestations of aspiration may be unreliable and insidious, because of the depressed cough reflex. Modified and traditional barium swallows should be performed following treatment to assess the safety of oral feeding and the structural integrity of the pharynx and esophagus. Patients with severe dysphagia may benefit from rehabilitation. Tube feeding should be continued for those with aspiration.