Speech and Swallowing Outcomes in Patients Treated for Oral Cavity Cancer
Abstract
This study investigated the natural history of speech and swallowing function of patients treated for oral cavity cancers (OCC) of the oral tongue and/or floor of mouth (FOM), and explored relationships among clinico-demographic and treatment-related variables and speech and swallowing performance. Patient-, disease- and treatment-related data were collected along with clinical outcomes data from medical charts of 72 individuals. Repeated measures analyses revealed changes in speech and swallowing function post-treatment with a general pattern of worse function at hospital discharge and improved function long-term post-treatment, although function did not return to baseline levels. Correlation and regression analyses identified that, in combination, an individual’s comorbidity status, tumour staging, and adjuvant treatment can predict variance in the normalcy of one’s diet and the social aspects of eating post-treatment. These results have the potential to inform patient education and counselling regarding anticipated outcomes and enhance future treatment decisions.