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DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1686046
Subjective estimation of the swallowing capacity by head-and-neck cancer patients via EAT-10 during radio(chemo)therapy
Introduction:
Optimal patient compliance is necessary to improve the management of swallowing disorders resulting from head-and-neck tumors. An important prerequisite for such management consists in patient's reliable estimation of his/her own swallowing capacity that often varies during radio(chemo)therapy. This study aimed to assess the ability of head-and-neck cancer patients to estimate subjectively their swallowing capacity via the questionnaire EAT-10 during a radio(chemo)therapy.
Methods:
In the years 2015 – 2018, 83 head-and-neck cancer patients (80% male, 42 – 81 years old, median age 64 years, UICC stages II-IV) were included in the sample. The patients filled out EAT-10 before, 1 and 2 months after the onset of the radio(chemo)therapy. Mean values were calculated for the EAT-10 total score, median values for its items for each of three test sessions. Changes between these sessions were assessed by Friedman test.
Results:
The mean value of EAT-10 total score changed significantly between three test sessions (χ2 (2)= 20.47, p < 0.001) from 13.5 in the first one to 25.0 in the second one, and 17.8 in the third one. The median values of EAT-10 items varied between 0 and 1 in the first test session, between 1 – 4 in the second one, and between 1 – 3 in the third one, this difference being statistically significant for 9 out of 10 items, especially in case of “The pleasure of eating is affected by my swallowing” and “Swallowing is stressful” (ps < 0.001).
Conclusions:
According to the subjective estimation of head-and-neck cancer patients, the swallowing capacity deteriorated one month after the onset of radio(chemo)therapy. A systematic assessment of the subjective estimation of the swallowing capacity is mandatory for the optimal dysphagia management for this target population.
Publication History
Publication Date:
23 April 2019 (online)
© 2019. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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