Radiation-induced long-term dysphagia in survivors of head and neck cancer and association with dose-volume parameters

In head and neck cancer (HNC), late effects are commonly defined as side effects that occur or persist more than three months post-treatment [1,2]. Dysphagia is one of the most serious late effects following radiotherapy (RT) in HNC [3,4], and may impact survivors ’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [5,6]. It can lead to changes in meal routines, malnutrition, feeding tube dependence, aspiration-related airway infections, psychological distress, and social isolation [4,5,7,8]. Information about the impact of long-term (>5 years) dysphagia is scarce, as the literature primarily addresses the first years post-treatment [9 –11].

Source: Radiotherapy and Oncology - December 5, 2023 Category: Radiology Authors: Thuy-Tien Maria Huynh, Einar Dale, Ragnhild S ørum Falk, Taran Paulsen Hellebust, Guro Lindviksmoen Astrup, Eirik Malinen, Nina Frederike Jeppesen Edin, Kristin Bjordal, Bente Brokstad Herlofson, Cecilie Essholt Kiserud, Åslaug Helland, Cecilie Delphin Tags: Original Article Source Type: research