Page 24 - Functional impairment and cues for rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients -

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Chapter 2
ABSTRACT
Background: Single-modality treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) are curative treatment options for early-stage oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) with comparable (excellent) oncological outcomes. This study aimed to compare self-reported swallowing function.
Methods: Participants with a T1-2N0-2bM0 OPC offered single-modality treatment recruited to the Head and Neck 5000 study were included. Prospectively collected self-reported swallowing function was compared between surgery and RT.
Results: Those offered RT (n = 150) had less favourable baseline characteristics than those offered surgery (n = 150). At 12-month follow-up, RT participants reported more swallowing problems (35% vs. 23%, RR 1.3; 95% CI 0.8–2.3, p = .277) in models adjusted for baseline characteristics. In those allocated to surgery who received adjuvant therapy (n = 78, 52%), the proportion with swallowing problems was similar to those allocated to RT alone.
Conclusions: Participants offered surgery alone had similar mortality but improved swallowing, although not statistically significant. However, over half of participants offered surgery alone received surgery and adjuvant therapy.