Loading
Trouble swallowing, either because a tumour narrows the food pipe or throat, or because radiotherapy and surgery to the head, neck or chest have damaged the muscles and nerves that coordinate swallowing. It affects nutrition, dignity and the risk of food going into the lungs.
The presenting symptom of most oesophageal cancers (palliated by stents, brachytherapy or radiotherapy, and by effective chemotherapy) and the dominant late toxicity of head and neck chemoradiation, where a fifth of survivors remain partly tube-dependent. Dysphagia-optimised IMRT (DARS trial), proton therapy, swallowing exercises during treatment, speech and language therapy and avoiding prophylactic feeding tubes when possible reduce it; the swallowing outcome is a co-primary consideration in HPV-positive oropharynx de-escalation trials. After oesophagectomy, anastomotic strictures and reflux cause further swallowing problems, and dysphagia is a core item in head and neck quality-of-life instruments.
Shares Feeding tube (gastrostomy, PEG, jejunostomy), Swallowing therapy around head and neck radiotherapy, Oesophageal cancer, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Shares Mucositis and stomatitis, Head and neck reconstruction: the free flap, and what it gives back, Swallowing therapy around head and neck radiotherapy, Late effects and survivorship toxicity.
Shares Voice after the larynx is removed, Head and neck reconstruction: the free flap, and what it gives back, Late effects and survivorship toxicity, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Shares Head and neck reconstruction: the free flap, and what it gives back, Swallowing therapy around head and neck radiotherapy, Late effects and survivorship toxicity, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Shares Voice after the larynx is removed, Head and neck reconstruction: the free flap, and what it gives back, Swallowing therapy around head and neck radiotherapy, Late effects and survivorship toxicity.
Shares Oesophagectomy, Oesophageal cancer.
Shares Voice after the larynx is removed, Head and neck reconstruction: the free flap, and what it gives back, Swallowing therapy around head and neck radiotherapy, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Shares Mucositis and stomatitis, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.