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Smartphone‐based follow‐up of upper airway symptoms in head and neck cancer survivors one year after radiation therapy.
- Source :
- International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders; Mar2023, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p270-278, 9p, 1 Diagram, 3 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Background: Improvements in treatment of head‐and‐neck cancer (HNC) have resulted in improved long‐term survival rates so there is a growing interest in long‐term consequences. Objective: The aim was to perform a smartphone‐based assessment to analyse the upper airway dysfunction‐related symptoms in HNC 1 year after radiotherapy (RT) during social distancing due to COVID‐19. Methods & Procedures: Smartphone‐based assessment on upper airway function 1 year after RT was performed. Upper airway functions include perceived impact of voice on quality of life (Voice Handicap Index, VHI‐30), swallowing (Functional Oral Intake, FOIS; and Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire, SWAL‐QOL) and sleep‐disordered breathing (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) assessments. Additionally, quality of life was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Outcomes & Results: The HNC group presented worse results in the VHI‐30 scale, in the three subscales (p < 0.001). Swallowing function also presented worse results in the HNC group, with a lower score in the FOIS questionnaire (p < 0.001) and a poorer score in the SWAL‐QOL (p < 0.001). Regarding to the sleep‐disordered breathing, the HNC group presented poorer scores in all subscales (p < 0.05). The HNC group also presented worse scores in quality of life. Conclusion: Our findings showed that HNC survivors presented a poorer upper airway function and a worse quality of life. This population needs to be systematically screened for those function impairments. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Head‐and‐neck cancer radiotherapy treatment is anatomically related to the upper airway, involved in several functions such as breathing, swallowing and speech that could be affected by the treatment. Public health restrictions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic have made it difficult, and in many cases impossible, to see patients in person and complete assessments that are often crucial to improve their approach. Telephone interviews appear to be largely equivalent to face‐to‐face interviews, which could solve these problems. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The aim of this study was to perform a smartphone‐based assessment to analyse the upper airway dysfunction‐related symptoms in head‐and‐neck cancer survivors 1 year after radiotherapy treatment. Our findings showed that head‐and‐neck cancer survivors who have been treated with radiotherapy presented a poorer upper airway function, with subjective speech and voice problems, swallowing and sleep‐disordered breathing compared to a control group matched for age and sex 1 year after the treatment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The results of this study will allow a better approach to treatment of head‐and‐neck cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- RESPIRATORY diseases
COVID-19
CONFIDENCE intervals
MOBILE apps
HEAD & neck cancer
INTERVIEWING
MANN Whitney U Test
FISHER exact test
CANCER patients
COMPARATIVE studies
FUNCTIONAL assessment
T-test (Statistics)
RESEARCH funding
SLEEP apnea syndromes
QUALITY of life
QUESTIONNAIRES
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
SCALE analysis (Psychology)
PATIENT care
DATA analysis software
NUTRITIONAL status
SYMPTOMS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13682822
- Volume :
- 58
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 162399035
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12782