Head and neck cancer patients' perceptions of swallowing following chemoradiotherapy.
Support Care Cancer
; 23(12): 3531-8, 2015 Dec.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25851803
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
The study aims to describe patients' experiences of swallowing difficulties following (chemo)radiotherapy for head and neck cancer and to explore any changes over time.METHODS:
A purposive sample of patients with swallowing difficulties was selected at a range of time points, from 3 to 18 months following treatment. Ethnographic observations of 12 patients were conducted in their own homes, over a mealtime situation. Nine new patients were interviewed about changes to their eating and drinking from pre- to post-treatment. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyse the data.RESULTS:
Patients' reports of swallowing function were divided into four time zones pre-treatment, during radiotherapy, early (0-3 months) and late (6-18 months) time points following treatment. The majority reported minimal problems at diagnosis, but marked impairment during and after radiotherapy, without a return to pre-treatment functioning. The focus was on severe physical side effects and changes to food preparation during radiotherapy and in the early phase of recovery. By 6 months, side effects began to subside, but swallowing was still difficult, leading to major changes to family life, socialisation and lifestyle.CONCLUSIONS:
Swallowing problems after (chemo)radiotherapy are multi-faceted and highly individualised and restrict lives in the long term. Swallowing ability may improve in time, but does not appear to return to pre-treatment function. Further work is required to find ways of being able to best support patients living with this long-term condition.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Percepção
/
Transtornos de Deglutição
/
Deglutição
/
Quimiorradioterapia
/
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Support Care Cancer
Assunto da revista:
NEOPLASIAS
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Ano de publicação:
2015
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido