Difficulty in swallowing in patients who received radiotherapy to the head and neck region
Entry
Low incidence of head and neck cancers
Although respiratory tract and
due to its close relationship with nutrition,
It has an important place among cancers.1
Head and neck cancers of the lips, oral cavity,
oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, larynx,
nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, thyroid
localized in the glands and salivary glands
are cancers.
2 Most common in the head and neck region
The tumor type seen is Squamous Cell.
is carcinoma (SCC); all tumor types
It makes up 90%.3
Head and neck cancers in general
surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and/or
It is treated with chemotherapy (CT). RT, head
important in neck cancer
It is one of the treatment methods. many early
In the primary treatment of stage malignancies,
Supportive treatment following surgical resection
curatively or concurrently with chemotherapy
used for treatment.
4
RT during administration or
subsequently affecting healthy tissues,
reduce the patient's quality of life, and even some
interruption of treatment or
various acute
or cause chronic side effects. This
condition especially different responses to radiation
dissimilar covering mucosa,
skin, subcutaneous connective tissue, muscle, salivary glands,
structures such as teeth and bones
occur more frequently in the head and neck region.
out.5
Dry mouth (xerostomia) and swallowing
difficulty (dysphagia), head and neck region
RT was applied due to the presence of cancer
are common side effects seen in patients.
Combining treatment with KT
speech, nutrition, daily life
on activities and quality of life
increases its negative effects.6
high salivary glands
exposure to radiation doses, saliva
negatively affecting the production of head and neck
most common in patients receiving RT
mouth, which is one of the reported side effects
7 Dry mouth,
salivary glands exposed to radiation
volume, total radiation dose and
several months depending on the characteristics of the patient
or may last year-round or be permanent
8, 9 In addition to decreased salivary flow
in the viscosity of saliva, sodium, chlorine,
calcium, magnesium and protein
increase in concentrations, pH, bicarbonate
decrease in concentration and amount of IgA
have been reported to occur.10
dysfunctions life threatening
although it does not affect the patient's quality of life,
affects negatively.
Difficulty swallowing food
mechanically by mouth-to-gastric transfer
inability to perform swallowing
decreased muscle strength or
resulting from the loss of coordination
and radiotherapy to the head and neck area
common side effects in patients
6 Radiotherapy-induced
etiological factors of dysphagia
affecting the taste buds
neurotoxicity, dry mouth, infection and
psychological conditioning.11
Radiotherapy to the head and neck area
neglected or
an underappreciated
Another factor is nutrition of patients.
(nutritional) states. mucositis, swallowing
dyspnea, dry mouth, taste perversion
(dysgeusia), nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea and
radiotherapy, such as fever, or
primary side of chemoradiotherapy (CRT)
effects are usually associated with weight gain during treatment.
loss of nutrition
cause disorders.
