Head and neck cancer (HNC) accounts for 3-5% of all malignancies in the United States and is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Over the past two decades, radiation therapy (RT) has become a frequent therapeutic strategy, however one of its side effects, dysphagia has had a huge impact on patients’ quality of life. The value of determining the true prevalence of dysphagia is remarkable, which is what prompted us to carry out a study to determine the prevalence, trends, and risk factors for dysphagia following completion of RT over one year in patients diagnosed with HNC at Boston Medical Center over a 7-year period. A retrospective cohort study was conducted that involved a chart review of the medical records of all patients who completed RT for HNC cancer from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2009 at Boston University Medical Center. 113 eligible patients were who had comprehensive treatment and follow up data at 3, 6, 9 or 12 months post RT were analyzed. Outcome variables of interest included feeding tube status, diet status, subjective swallow status, and percent weight loss from end of RT. 113 patients were identified for this study, of which 31% (n=35) were female and 69% (n=78) were male. Average age was 58.6 years old (35 to 88). The most common cancer sites were oropharynx and nasopharynx (38.9%) as well as hypopharynx and larynx (31%). 71.7% of the cohort had chemotherapy (CT) in addition to RT, and about half the patients had some degree of surgery. Altogether, the most “clinically meaningful” indicator of dysphagia (diet level of moderate/severe diet restriction) showed that the prevalence or probability of dysphagia to be 49% at 3 months, 56% at 6 months, 45% at 9 months, and 31% at 12 months. Our results suggest that about half the patients who undergo RT may be expected to develop a significant swallowing dysfunction in the first year following RT. This is extremely useful data for a health care provider to present to a patient after diagnosis of HNC and should complement counseling provided to them at the time of creating a treatment plan. Interestingly most of the patients who developed moderate/severe dysphagia did so within the first 6 months of completion of RT. Only oral cavity as cancer site was associated with moderate/severe dysphagia in our cohort of patients.

Background Nutritional deterioration in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has a multifactorial etiology mainly associated with tumor and treatment related factors. The objective of the present thesis was to investigate the impact of the disease and treatment on body weight and eating in patients with HNC treated with radiation therapy (RT) as the single modality treatment or as preoperative RT by analyzing body weight and body mass index (BMI) over time, predictive factors for weight loss and BMI, weight loss and BMI as prognostic factors for survival, and by studying the patients’ own experience of food and eating. Methods ARTSCAN is a randomized prospective multicenter trial conducted between the years of 1998 - 2006. Data were collected during and after RT with a total follow-up time of five years. Nutritional data from the whole study cohort (n = 712), from patients with oropharyngeal cancer (n = 232) and from two of the participating treatment centers (n = 101) were retrospectively analyzed in the present thesis. In addition, interviews (n = 13) were conducted nine months after the termination of RT as part of a care development project. Results On a group level, the patients lost weight during and after RT with a nadir at five months after the termination of RT. Factors related to a higher weight loss were oropharyngeal cancer, a high BMI at the start of RT, post-treatment aspiration, no tube feeding at the start of RT, and larger treated volumes. Furthermore, a high BMI at the start of RT was shown to be significantly related to a better five-year overall survival in patients with oropharyngeal cancer, whereas weight loss was not. The patients’ own narratives showed that all aspects of food, eating and meals were affected by the remaining sequelae, and that the patients found ways to accept and cope with the changes that had to be done to facilitate eating. Conclusions and clinical implications The disease and treatment gave persistent effects on the HNC patients’ weight and BMI which calls for a prolonged nutritional follow-up. The predictive factors found for weight loss can be used during patient history to find patients at risk for nutritional deterioration. In oropharyngeal cancer, patients with a high BMI at the start of RT had the best survival. This finding indicates that patients with a low BMI should be encouraged to gain weight before RT start. All aspects of food, eating and meals were affected during and after RT, and therefore the nutritional treatment should be given with a holistic approach to meet the multifaceted need patients with HNC experience.