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Feasibility of tongue strength measurements during (chemo)radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of tongue strength measures (TSMs) and the influence of bulb location, sex, and self-perceived pain and mucositis in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients during chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods

Twenty-six newly diagnosed HNC patients treated with CRT performed anterior and posterior maximal isometric tongue pressures by means of the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). The Oral Mucositis Weekly Questionnaire (OMWQ) and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain during swallowing were completed weekly from baseline to 1 week post CRT.

Results

Feasibility of TSMs during CRT declines significantly from 96 to 100% at baseline to 46% after 6 weeks of CRT. But post-hoc analyses reveal only significant differences in feasibility between baseline and measurements after 4 weeks of treatment. No effect of gender or bulb location was established, but feasibility is influenced by pain and mucositis.

Conclusions

Feasibility of TSMs declines during CRT and is influenced by mucositis and pain. For the majority of subjects, TSMs were feasible within the first 4 weeks, which provides a window of scientific and clinical opportunities in this patient population.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by Belgian Federal Cancer Plan (KPC29_033).

We thank all researchers from the KP-study group, the patients, their families, and caregivers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery—Rehabilitation Center for Communication Disorders, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium

    Leen Van den Steen, Olivier Vanderveken, Diane Van Rompaey, Steven Mariën, Carl Van Laer, Paul Van de Heyning, Marc De Bodt & Gwen Van Nuffelen

  2. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Olivier Vanderveken, Jan Baptist Vermorken, Pol Specenier, Carl Van Laer, Marc Peeters, Paul Van de Heyning, Marc De Bodt & Gwen Van Nuffelen

  3. Multi-disciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Olivier Vanderveken, Jan Baptist Vermorken, Pol Specenier, Carl Van Laer & Marc Peeters

  4. University College Thomas More, Antwerp, Belgium

    Jan Vanderwegen

  5. CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium

    Jan Vanderwegen, Johan Allouche & Gilbert Chantrain

  6. Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

    Dirk Van Gestel, Sylvie Beauvois & Georges Lawson

  7. Université Catholique de Louvain, CHU-UCL-Namur, Site Sainte-Elisabeth, Namur, Belgium

    Jean-François Daisne

  8. Université Catholique de Louvain, CHU-UCL-Namur, Site Godinne, Yvoir, Belgium

    Laurence Delacroix

  9. Clinique Saint-Jean Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Sophie Cvilic

  10. Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

    Gauthier Desuter

  11. Department Medical Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium

    Jan Baptist Vermorken, Pol Specenier & Marc Peeters

  12. ZNA Multididisciplinaire Oncologie, Antwerp, Belgium

    Danielle Van den Weyngaert

  13. Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, USA

    Cathy Lazarus

  14. Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, New York, NY, USA

    Cathy Lazarus

  15. Faculty of Speech, Pathology and Audiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Marc De Bodt & Gwen Van Nuffelen

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  1. Leen Van den Steen
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  20. Georges Lawson
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  21. Cathy Lazarus
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  23. Gwen Van Nuffelen
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Consortia

Member of the Belgian Cancer Plan 29_033_Dysphagia Group

  • Leen Van den Steen
  • , Olivier Vanderveken
  • , Jan Vanderwegen
  • , Dirk Van Gestel
  • , Jean-François Daisne
  • , Johan Allouche
  • , Laurence Delacroix
  • , Diane Van Rompaey
  • , Sylvie Beauvois
  • , Sophie Cvilic
  • , Steven Mariën
  • , Gauthier Desuter
  • , Jan Baptist Vermorken
  • , Danielle Van den Weyngaert
  • , Pol Specenier
  • , Carl Van Laer
  • , Marc Peeters
  • , Paul Van de Heyning
  • , Gilbert Chantrain
  • , Georges Lawson
  • , Cathy Lazarus
  • , Marc De Bodt
  •  & Gwen Van Nuffelen

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leen Van den Steen.

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Conflict of interest

Mrs. Van den Steen reports grants from Belgian Federal Cancer Plan (KPC29_033) during the conduct of the study.

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Van den Steen, L., Vanderveken, O., Vanderwegen, J. et al. Feasibility of tongue strength measurements during (chemo)radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients. Support Care Cancer 25, 3417–3423 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3761-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3761-1

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