Page 92 - Functional impairment and cues for rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients -

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Chapter 4
ABSTRACT
Background: The objective of this study was to explore the ten-year plus outcomes of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy (CRT) combined with preventive swallowing rehabilitation (CRT+) for head and neck cancer (HNC).
Methods: Subjective and objective swallowing, trismus and speech related outcomes were assessed at ten-year plus after CRT+. Outcomes were compared to previously published six- year results of the same cohort.
Results: Fourteen of the 22 patients at six-year follow-up were evaluable. Although objective swallowing related outcomes showed no deterioration (e.g., no feeding tube dependency and no pneumonia), swallowing related quality of life slightly deteriorated over time. No patients had or perceived trismus. Voice and speech questionnaires showed little problems in daily life. Overall quality of life (QOL) was good.
Conclusions: After CRT with preventive rehabilitation exercises for advanced HNC, swallowing, trismus and speech related outcomes moderately deteriorated from six- to ten-years, with an on average good overall QOL after.