Head and neck cancer treatment outcome priorities: A multi-perspective concept mapping study.

With the increasing focus on patient-centred care, this study sought to understand priorities considered by patients and healthcare providers from their experience with head and neck cancer treatment, and to compare how patients' priorities compare to healthcare providers' priorities. Group concept mapping was used to actively identify priorities from participants (patients and healthcare providers) in two phases. In phase one, participants brainstormed statements reflecting considerations related to their experience with head and neck cancer treatment. In phase two, statements were sorted based on their similarity in theme and rated in terms of their priority. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were performed to produce multidimensional maps to visualize the findings. Two-hundred fifty statements were generated by participants in the brainstorming phase, finalized to 94 statements that were included in phase two. From the sorting activity, a two-dimensional map with stress value of 0.2213 was generated, and eight clusters were created to encompass all statements. Timely care, education, and person-centred care were the highest rated priorities for patients and healthcare providers. Overall, there was a strong correlation between patient and healthcare providers' ratings (r = 0.80). Our findings support the complexity of the treatment planning process in head and neck cancer, evident by the complex maps and highly interconnected statements related to the experience of treatment. Implications for improving the quality of care delivered and care experience of head and cancer are discussed.

Temporal Trends in Clinician-Assessed and Patient-Reported Swallowing Outcomes in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a consequence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) treatments and often results in a devastating reduction in quality of life (QoL; Nguyen et al., 2005; Pauloski, 2008). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to report temporal trends in swallowing outcomes using the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) and the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and to study the relationship between these two measures. METHOD: This was a retrospective review of clinical data collected in January 2013 to December 2017 from a tertiary care center. MBSImP PI scores and MDADI composite scores were collected pretreatment and 1, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. Data were analyzed in aggregate and stratified by treatment modality. To address the primary objective, descriptive statistics were used. To address the secondary objective, four Spearman tests were run between MBSImP PI and MDADI composite scores. RESULTS: A total of 123 OPSCC participants were included. With respect to trends, MBSImP PI scores worsened 1 month posttreatment and remained impaired at 6 and 12 months. For MDADI composite scores, patient reports worsened 1 month posttreatment and subsequently improved at 6 and 12 months. MBSImP PI and MDADI composite scores were weakly negatively correlated (i.e., in agreement) at the pre- and 12-month posttreatment appointments. CONCLUSIONS: Swallowing outcomes in OPSCC patients have distinct yet predictable trends for both clinician-assessed and patient-reported swallowing outcomes during the first year following cancer treatment. However, unlike previous findings, these two types of measures were in agreement at the pretreatment and 12 months posttreatment appointments.

Adherence to Home-Based Swallowing Therapy Using a Mobile System in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors.

Purpose A large knowledge gap related to dysphagia treatment adherence was identified by a recent systematic review: Few existing studies report on adherence, and current adherence tracking relies heavily on patient self-report. This study aimed to report weekly adherence and dysphagia-specific quality of life following home-based swallowing therapy in head and neck cancer (HNC). Method This was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. Patients who were at least 3 months post-HNC treatment were enrolled in swallowing therapy using a mobile health (mHealth) swallowing system equipped with surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback. Participants completed a home dysphagia exercise program across 6 weeks, with a target of 72 swallows per day split between three different exercise types. Adherence was calculated as percent trials completed of trials prescribed. The M. D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) was administered before and after therapy. Results Twenty participants (75% male), with an average age of 61.9 years (SD = 8.5), completed the study. The majority had surgery ± adjuvant (chemo)radiation therapy for oral (10%), oropharyngeal (80%), or other (10%) cancers. Using an intention-to-treat analysis, adherence to the exercise regimen remained high from 84% in Week 1 to 72% in Week 6. Radiation therapy, time since cancer treatment, medical difficulties, and technical difficulties were all found to be predictive of poorer adherence at Week 6. A statistically significant improvement was found for composite, emotional, and physical MDADI subscales. Conclusions When using an mHealth system with sEMG biofeedback, adherence rates to home-based swallowing exercise remained at or above 72% over a 6-week treatment period. Dysphagia-specific quality of life improved following this 6-week treatment program.

Prehabilitation in head and neck cancer patients: a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is one consequence of head and neck cancer that has a significant impact on quality of life for head and neck cancer survivors. While survival rates continue to improve, focus has shifted to maximizing long-term function, with prevention or prehabilitation programs becoming more common. Prehabilitation programs typically include an exercise regime that specifies the exercise type, the number of repetitions to complete per set, the number of sets of each exercise to complete per day, as well as the length of the treatment block. Ideally, exercise programs are designed with principles of neuromuscular plasticity in mind. METHODS: Twenty-nine original research articles published between 2006 and 2020 were included in this state-of-the-art review and examined for program timing and details. RESULTS: Two definitions for prehabilitation were noted: one third of the studies defined prehabilitation as preventative exercises prior to the start of acute cancer treatment; the remaining two thirds defined prehabilitation as treatment concurrent prehabilitation. Exercises prescribed ranged from general stretching and range of motion exercises, to trismus and swallowing specific exercises. The most common swallowing specific exercise was the Mendelsohn's maneuver, followed by the effortful swallow, Shaker, and Masako maneuver. The most common dose was 10 repetitions of an exercise, three times per day for the duration of radiation therapy. The most common measures were questionnaires, followed by g-tube dependence, mouth opening, and MBS reports. CONCLUSION: This review of the literature has shed light on the variability of prehabilitation timing, exercise type, dose, duration of treatment, and outcomes associated with prehabilitation, making the selection of an optimal prehabilitation program difficult at this time.

A pilot study of masticatory function after maxillectomy comparing rehabilitation with an obturator prosthesis and reconstruction with a digitally planned, prefabricated, free, vascularized fibula flap.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Oral rehabilitation after maxillectomy can be performed by prosthetic obturation or with a free fibula flap. Successful prosthetic obturation of large maxillectomy defects can be difficult, and masticatory function is at risk in these patients. Surgical reconstruction might provide adequate masticatory function, but the literature is lacking evidence regarding this topic. PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot clinical study was to assess masticatory functions and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) outcomes in patients after maxillectomy reconstructed by using the Rohner or the Alberta Reconstructive Technique and to compare outcomes with patients rehabilitated with an obturator prosthesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mixing ability, maximum occlusal force, maximum mouth opening, and HR-QoL were assessed. Differences between the 2 groups were analyzed by using the Kruskal-Wallis tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests for categorical variables. RESULTS: The reconstructed patients (n=11) showed better mixing ability, occlusal force (nonoperated side), and overall mean HR-QoL. The nonreconstructed group (n=13) did not differ from the reconstructed groups in terms of maximum mouth opening, overall mean occlusal force, occlusal force on the operated side, and most HR-QoL questionnaire domains. CONCLUSIONS: Maxillary reconstruction might be beneficial for masticatory performance in patients undergoing maxillectomy. A larger study is justified to support the possible benefit of the reconstruction of maxillary defects regarding mixing ability, occlusal force (nonoperated side), and HR-QoL.

Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life After Segmental Mandibulectomy and Reconstruction with a Reconstruction Plate or Bone Graft Compared to a Digitally Planned Fibula Free Flap.

PURPOSE: To compare oral function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients reconstructed with either a reconstruction plate or a free vascularized bone flap with or without 3D planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients from the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, and Radboud University Medical Center were included. This cross-sectional study assessed objective masticatory performance with the mixing ability test (mixing ability index [MAI]), maximum bite force, maximum mouth opening, and HRQoL. Differences between groups were analyzed using analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. RESULTS: Six patients with digitally planned resections and reconstructions were included. For comparison, five patients treated with freehand bone reconstruction and four patients treated with plate reconstruction were also included. Mixing ability was superior in 3D-planned reconstructions (MAI: 20.7 ± 6.7) compared to plate reconstructions (MAI: 30.0 ± 0.1, P = .017) and freehand reconstructions (MAI: 29.5 ± 1.1, P = .017). Maximum mouth opening, bite force, and HRQoL differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: This study indicated a possible benefit to masticatory performance of adequate surgical planning for one-phase reconstruction using 3D technology. A larger prospective study is necessary to gain more evidence regarding this finding.

Beavertail modification of the radial forearm free flap in total oral glossectomy reconstruction: Technique and functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The total oral tongue (anterior 2/3 glossectomy) defect is seldom addressed in the literature. This is the first series to describe a consistent technique for its reconstruction. The aim of the study is to describe the use of the beavertail modified radial forearm free flap (BTRFFF) to reconstruct a total oral tongue defect and the functional and quality of life outcomes associated with it. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 2000 to 2010. METHODS: All patients at the University of Alberta undergoing head and neck free flap surgery are enrolled in a prospective functional outcomes program. Pre-operatively and at set post-operative time points patients complete videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS), speech evaluations and quality of life questionnaires (EORTC H&N-35). Peri-operative outcomes were also measured. RESULTS: 17 consecutive patients were included. All were gastrostomy tube free at 12 months post-operatively and tolerating a full soft diet with aspiration scores of 0. Swallowing transit times increased by a mean of 0.4 s (p = 0.32). Speech intelligibility remained high with mean sentence intelligibility at 75% and single word intelligibility at 62%. Quality of life scores returned to baseline and remained satisfactory. Complications related to the BTRFFF were limited to scarring. CONCLUSIONS: The BTRFFF provides a robust reconstructive option for the total oral tongue defect with excellent long term functional outcomes and quality of life.

Usability testing of an mHealth device for swallowing therapy in head and neck cancer survivors.

The objective of this study was to conduct the first patient usability testing of a mobile health (mHealth) system for in-home swallowing therapy. Five participants with a history of head and neck cancer evaluated the mHealth system. After completing an in-application (app) tutorial with the clinician, participants were asked to independently complete five tasks: pair the device to the smartphone, place the device correctly, exercise, interpret progress displays, and close the system. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with the system. Critical changes to the app were found in three of the tasks, resulting in recommendations for the next iteration. These issues were related to ease of Bluetooth pairing, placement of device, and interpretation of statistics. Usability testing with patients identified issues that were essential to address prior to implementing the mHealth system in subsequent clinical trials. Of the usability methods used, video observation (synced screen capture with videoed gestures) revealed the most information.

Functional outcomes assessment following free muscle transfer for dynamic reconstruction of facial paralysis: A literature review.

Facial reanimation provides patients affected by chronic facial paralysis a chance to regain basic human functions such as emotional expression, verbal communication, and oral competence for eating and swallowing, but there is still no consensus as to the best way to measure surgical outcomes. We performed a literature review to investigate the different functional outcomes that surgeons use to evaluate facial function after reanimation surgery, focusing on outcomes other than facial expressions such as speech, oral competence, and patient quality of life/satisfaction. A total of 37 articles were reviewed, with the majority reporting outcomes through subjective facial expression ratings and only 15 dealing with other functional outcomes. In particular, outcomes related to oral competence and speech were reported inconsistently. Facial reanimation patients would benefit from a unified movement to create and validate through consensus, an outcomes reporting system incorporating not only facial expression, but also oral competence, speech, and patient-reported quality of life, to enable global patient assessment.

Top 10 research priorities in head and neck cancer: Results of an Alberta priority setting partnership of patients, caregivers, family members, and clinicians.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology, etiology, and management of head and neck cancer are evolving. Understanding the perspectives and priorities of nonresearchers regarding treatment uncertainties is important to inform future research. METHODS: Using the James Lind Alliance approach, patients, caregivers, and clinicians responded to a survey regarding their unanswered questions about treating and managing head and neck cancer. Distinct uncertainties were extracted from responses and sorted into themes. Uncertainties already answered in the literature were removed. Those remaining were ranked by patients and clinicians to develop a short list of priorities, which were discussed at a workshop and reduced to the top 10. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-one respondents posed 818 uncertainties, culminating in 77 for interim ranking and 27 for discussion at a workshop. Participants reached consensus on the top 10, which included questions on prevention, screening, treatment, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Nonresearchers can effectively collaborate to establish priorities for future research in head and neck cancer.

Evaluation of an Automated Swallow-Detection Algorithm Using Visual Biofeedback in Healthy Adults and Head and Neck Cancer Survivors.

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies may offer an opportunity to address longstanding clinical challenges, such as access and adherence to swallowing therapy. Mobili-T® is an mHealth device that uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to provide biofeedback on submental muscles activity during exercise. An automated swallow-detection algorithm was developed for Mobili-T®. This study evaluated the performance of the swallow-detection algorithm. Ten healthy participants and 10 head and neck cancer (HNC) patients were fitted with the device. Signal was acquired during regular, effortful, and Mendelsohn maneuver saliva swallows, as well as lip presses, tongue, and head movements. Signals of interest were tagged during data acquisition and used to evaluate algorithm performance. Sensitivity and positive predictive values (PPV) were calculated for each participant. Saliva swallows were compared between HNC and controls in the four sEMG-based parameters used in the algorithm: duration, peak amplitude ratio, median frequency, and 15th percentile of the power spectrum density. In healthy participants, sensitivity and PPV were 92.3 and 83.9%, respectively. In HNC patients, sensitivity was 92.7% and PPV was 72.2%. In saliva swallows, HNC patients had longer event durations (U = 1925.5, p < 0.001), lower median frequency (U = 2674.0, p < 0.001), and lower 15th percentile of the power spectrum density [t(176.9) = 2.07, p < 0.001] than healthy participants. The automated swallow-detection algorithm performed well with healthy participants and retained a high sensitivity, but had lowered PPV with HNC patients. With respect to Mobili-T®, the algorithm will next be evaluated using the mHealth system.

Functional and quality of life outcomes after partial glossectomy: a multi-institutional longitudinal study of the head and neck research network.

BACKGROUND: While aggressive treatment for oral cancer may optimize survival, decrements in speech and swallowing function and quality of life often result. This exploratory study investigated how patients recover their communicative function, swallowing ability, and quality of life after primary surgery [with or without adjuvant (chemo)radiation therapy] for tongue cancer over the course of the first year post-operation. METHODS: Patients treated for oral cancer at three institutions (University of Alberta Hospital, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center, and Turku University Hospital) were administered patient-reported outcomes assessing speech [Speech Handicap Index (SHI)], swallowing [(M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI)] and quality of life [European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Module (EORTC-H&N35)]. Outcome measures were completed pre-operatively and at 1-, 6-, and 12-months post-operatively. RESULTS: One hundred and seventeen patients undergoing partial glossectomy with reconstruction participated in this study. Results indicated no significant differences in swallowing function (MDADI and EORTC-H&N35 subscales) between baseline and 6 months post-surgery and no significant differences in speech function (SHI subscales) between baseline and 1 year post-surgery. Most quality of life domains (EORTC-H&N35 subscales) returned to baseline levels by 1 year post-operation, while difficulties with dry mouth and sticky saliva persisted. A clear time trend of adjuvant (chemo)radiation therapy negatively affecting dry mouth scores over time was identified in this study, while negative independent effects of chemoradiation on MDADI swallowing, and EORTC-H&N35 swallowing, eating, and opening mouth subscales were found. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment time influenced patient-reported speech, swallowing, and quality of life outcomes, while treatment (by time) effects were found for only swallowing and quality of life outcomes. Results of the present study will help guide clinical care and will be useful for patient counseling on expected short and long-term functional and quality of life outcomes of surgical and adjuvant treatment for oral cavity cancer.

Designing a Mobile Health App for Patients With Dysphagia Following Head and Neck Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to swallowing rehabilitation exercises is important to develop and maintain functional improvement, yet more than half of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients report having difficulty adhering to prescribed regimens. Health apps with game elements have been used in other health domains to motivate and engage patients. Understanding the factors that impact adherence may allow for more effective gamified solutions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to (1) identify self-reported factors that influence adherence to conventional home therapy without a mobile device in HNC patients and (2) identify appealing biofeedback designs that could be used in a health app. METHODS: A total of 10 (4 females) HNC patients (mean=60.1 years) with experience completing home-based rehabilitation programs were recruited. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews was used to answer the first objective. Convergent interviews were used to obtain reactions to biofeedback designs. RESULTS: Facilitators and barriers of adherence to home therapy were described through 6 themes: patient perceptions on outcomes and progress, clinical appointments, cancer treatment, rehabilitation program, personal factors, and connection. App visuals that provide feedback on performance during swallowing exercises should offer an immediate representation of effort relative to a goal. Simple, intuitive graphics were preferred over complex, abstract ones. Continued engagement with the app could be facilitated by tracking progress and by using visuals that build structures with each use. CONCLUSIONS: This is a detailed documentation of the initial steps in designing a health app for a specific patient group. Results revealed the importance of patient engagement in early stages of app development.

Implant Utilization and Time to Prosthetic Rehabilitation in Conventional and Advanced Fibular Free Flap Reconstruction of the Maxilla and Mandible.

PURPOSE: Precisely designed jaw reconstruction rehabilitation (JRR) is important to the integrity of the jaw structure and oral functions. Advanced three-dimensional (3D) digital surgical design and simulation (SDS) techniques have the potential to reduce time to reconstructive and dental treatment completion, thereby promoting early functional oral rehabilitation. This study investigated the use of SDS in JRR procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on adult head and neck tumor (HNT) participants who completed JRR treatment with a fibular free flap (FFF) reconstruction. Two treatment approaches, advanced 3D SDS technique (with-SDS) and conventional, nondigitally planned technique (without-SDS), included the use of osseointegrated implants. Data were collected from adult patients treated between January 2000 and March 2014 at the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine (iRSM). Participants were excluded if they underwent a bone-containing augmentation to the FFF reconstruction. The without-SDS group underwent a conventional, nonguided FFF reconstruction followed by nonguided implant placement. The with-SDS group underwent a guided FFF reconstruction with guided implant placement during the reconstructive surgery. The outcome measures included implant utilization (ratio of implants placed to connected) and time to prosthetic connection after FFF reconstruction. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The digital SDS technique (with-SDS) group completed prosthetic treatment with a significantly higher utilization of implants as well as a significantly shorter time to prosthetic delivery. CONCLUSION: SDS allows an interdisciplinary treatment team to work together to create a virtual plan that leads to greater efficiency in patient treatment time and utilization of dental implants.

Patient Perception of Speech Outcomes: The Relationship Between Clinical Measures and Self-Perception of Speech Function Following Surgical Treatment for Oral Cancer.

PURPOSE: Treatment for oral cancer can result in speech impairments that can have varying impacts on patient quality of life. This study explored the relationship between clinical measures of speech impairment and the perception that patients had of this change in the early stage of recovery. METHOD: This was a quasi-experimental 1-group pre-post study design carried out on 10 patients with surgical intervention for oral cancer. Two clinical measures (word intelligibility and consonant phoneme error) and 2 patient-perception measures (Speech Handicap Index total score and Speech Handicap Index patient criteria score) were collected at preoperative and 1-month postoperative appointments. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis revealed discordance between clinical and patient-perceived measures in 4 of 10 patients. Change in consonant phoneme error and change in word intelligibility were significantly correlated (r = .827). Furthermore, on average, statistically significant relationships were not found between clinical and patient-perceived measures or between the 2 patient-perception measures. CONCLUSIONS: Discordance between clinical and patient-perceived measures was observed in almost half of the sample, indicating that clinical tests did not fully explain the extent of impairment perceived by patients. Speech outcomes should focus on both types of measures, and patient perception outcomes should be carefully considered when recommending speech therapy.

Electromyography and Mechanomyography Signals During Swallowing in Healthy Adults and Head and Neck Cancer Survivors.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is used as an adjuvant to dysphagia therapy to demonstrate the activity of submental muscles during swallowing exercises. Mechanomyography (MMG) has been suggested as a potential superior alternative to sEMG; however, this advantage is not confirmed for signal acquired from submental muscles. This study compared the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained from sEMG and MMG sensors during swallowing tasks, in healthy participants and those with a history of head and neck cancer (HNC), a population with altered anatomy and a high incidence of dysphagia. Twenty-two healthy adults and 10 adults with a history of HNC participated in this study. sEMG and MMG signals were acquired during dry, thin liquid, effortful, and Mendelsohn maneuver swallows. SNR was compared between the two sensors using repeated measures ANOVAs and subsequent planned pairwise comparisons. Test-retest measures were collected on 20 % of participants. In healthy participants, MMG SNR was higher than that of sEMG for dry [t(21) = -3.02, p = 0.007] and thin liquid swallows [t(21) = -4.24, p < 0.001]. Although a significant difference for sensor was found in HNC participants F(1,9) = 5.54, p = 0.043, planned pairwise comparisons by task revealed no statistically significant difference between the two sensors. sEMG also showed much better test-retest reliability than MMG. Biofeedback provided as an adjuvant to dysphagia therapy in patients with HNC should employ sEMG technology, as this sensor type yielded better SNR and overall test-retest reliability. Poor MMG test-retest reliability was noted in both healthy and HNC participants and may have been related to differences in sensor application.

Epidermal electronics for electromyography: An application to swallowing therapy.

Head and neck cancer treatment alters the anatomy and physiology of patients. Resulting swallowing difficulties can lead to serious health concerns. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is used as an adjuvant to swallowing therapy exercises. sEMG signal collected from the area under the chin provides visual biofeedback from muscle contractions and is used to help patients perform exercises correctly. However, conventional sEMG adhesive pads are relatively thick and difficult to effectively adhere to a patient's altered chin anatomy, potentially leading to poor signal acquisition in this population. Here, the emerging technology of epidermal electronics is introduced, where ultra-thin geometry allows for close contouring of the chin. The two objectives of this study were to (1) assess the potential of epidermal electronics technology for use with swallowing therapy and (2) assess the significance of the reference electrode placement. This study showed comparative signals between the new epidermal sEMG patch and the conventional adhesive patches used by clinicians. Furthermore, an integrated reference yielded optimal signal for clinical use; this configuration was more robust to head movements than when an external reference was used. Improvements for future iterations of epidermal sEMG patches specific to day-to-day clinical use are suggested.

Total glossectomy with laryngeal preservation and free flap reconstruction: objective functional outcomes and systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Advanced tongue cancer is a devastating diagnosis with potential for significant morbidity after treatment. This is especially true for patients undergoing total glossectomy with laryngeal preservation (TGLP), free flap reconstruction and adjuvant radiotherapy. The goals of this study were to: 1) determine long-term objective functional and quality of life outcomes, 2) investigate the influence of rehabilitation on functional recovery and 3) determine swallowing ability in patients with TGLP. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study and systematic review of the literature. METHODS: Functional outcomes data were collected from 2000-2010. Outcomes were measured pre- and 12 months post-surgery and included: gastrostomy-tube (G-Tube) rates, swallowing transit times on video fluoroscopic swallowing studies, speech intelligibility and EORTC-H&N 35 quality of life scores. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to determine comprehensive long term G-Tube rates. RESULTS: Twelve patients were included and eight were still living at 12 months post-surgery. Fifty percent of patients in this study and 24% with systematic review used G-Tubes at 1 year post-surgery. Patients who could swallow did not aspirate, but more than doubled swallowing transit times. Spoken sentence intelligibility averaged 66% and mean quality of life scores improved 8.9 points 12 months post-surgery. Patients who attended >80% of swallowing and speech rehabilitation sessions demonstrated superior swallowing and speech functional outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although a potentially morbid treatment, TGLP and free flap reconstruction can provide good swallowing and speech outcomes as well as meaningful long-term quality of life. Regular attendance of rehabilitation sessions is imperative to optimize functional outcomes.

Comparison of tooth loss between intensity-modulated and conventional radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Advanced radiotherapy (RT) such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has become more common in the management of head and neck cancer (HNC). IMRT includes focused target volume coverage while sparing salivary tissues to protect function. However, the long-term effects on dentition after IMRT are not well established. This investigation sought to understand dental status by comparing tooth loss after IMRT and conventional RT in HNC patients. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on individuals who received IMRT or conventional RT (± surgery, ± chemotherapy) for oropharyngeal, oral cavity, and nasopharyngeal cancer between 2000 and 2010 at the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine. Tooth loss, the primary outcome measure, was assessed using intraoral photographs, radiographs, and clinical records. The influence of patient demographics on tooth loss was assessed as well. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients were eligible for review at baseline; 44 received IMRT and 42 received conventional RT. Twenty-four had data collected up to 2 years after RT. After adjusting for baseline number of teeth, no significant differences were found between groups 2 years after RT using repeated measures analysis of covariance (p  =  .079). The site of disease was significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant differences in tooth loss between RT groups were found 2 years after RT; however, trends in the data suggest that tooth loss increased each year after RT. The early findings need to be viewed with caution as data beyond 3 to 5 years and a larger sample size are needed to understand the dental effects after advanced RT.