ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Is Speech Language Pathologist Evaluation Necessary in the Non-Operative Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer?

by By Heather M. Starmer, MA, and Christine G. Gourin, MD, MPH • November 4, 2014

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

Background

Dysphagia is a common sequelae of head and neck cancer (HNCA) and its treatment. While surgery is expected to result in predictable long-term alterations in swallowing function, the increased use of nonoperative treatment for organ preservation in recent years has led to a growing awareness of dysphagia associated with chemoradiation (CRT) secondary to radiation fibrosis and changes in innervation of the muscles of swallowing. Dysphagia can lead to poor nutrition/hydration, pulmonary complications, gastrostomy tube placement, and substandard quality of life. Evaluation and management of dysphagia is typically the purview of the speech-language pathologist (SLP). Despite the expertise of SLPs serving HNCA surgical patients, there continues to be some discord regarding the role and timing of speech-language pathology care in patients undergoing CRT. Historically, this lack of consensus was related to suboptimal evidence regarding the role of the SLP in nonsurgical care of the HNCA population; however, recent evidence provides a clearer direction for inclusion of this important care provider.

You Might Also Like

  • Pretreatment Swallowing Assessment in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
  • Targeted Therapy a Potential Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer
  • Should Surgery Be First-Line Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer?
  • Babbling Is Necessary for Speech and Language Development
Explore This Issue
November 2014

Best Practice

The best evidence strongly supports an active role for SLPs in the nonoperative management of HNCA patients that begins at the point of cancer diagnosis. Pretreatment instrumental swallowing assessments are indicated to identify silent dysphagia to optimize safe and efficient oral intake during treatment and to tailor interventional strategies. Based upon the available evidence, SLP evaluation and prophylactic swallowing intervention should be considered standard of care in the pretreatment setting for patients undergoing organ preservation treatment for HNCA to prevent dysphagia and optimize functional outcomes. Further, long-term follow-up appears appropriate given the potential for long-term sequelae following treatment. Read the full article in The Laryngoscope.

Filed Under: Departments, Head and Neck, Head and Neck, Practice Focus, TRIO Best Practices Tagged With: carcinoma, speechIssue: November 2014

You Might Also Like:

  • Pretreatment Swallowing Assessment in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
  • Targeted Therapy a Potential Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer
  • Should Surgery Be First-Line Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer?
  • Babbling Is Necessary for Speech and Language Development

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Weaning Patients Off of PPIs
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Podcasts Becoming More Popular Method of Education for Otolaryngologists
    • How to Embrace Optimism in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Tips on How to Approach Conversations with Patients about the COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Voice and Hearing During Telemedicine Sessions
    • Routine Postoperative Adjunct Treatments Unnecessary for Idiopathic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

Polls

Have you spoken with your patients about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.