Evaluation and Management of Dysphagia in Patients Receiving Chemoradiation for Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas occur frequently with over 500,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year [1]. Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) has become an increasingly used treatment modality for head and neck cancer. Studies have shown CRT to be successful in improving locoregional control, disease free survival and overall survival [2, 3]. The significant aim of organ preservation therapy is cancer treatment with retention of healthy tissue, allowing for the maintenance of normal mechanisms for breathing, deglutition, and communication. As the number of patients receiving CRT continues to increase it is important to pay careful attention to the long-term quality of life (QOL) issues affecting this population. Dysphagia is the most common QOL issue in CRT patients and has been observed to affect up to 50% to 64% of patients after CRT [4, 5]. For this reason, it is important for the clinical team to be well versed on the methods available to prevent and treat dysphagia that may develop after CRT.