Eating ability in head and neck cancer patients after treatment with chemoradiation: A 12-month follow-up study accounting for dropout

Alfred W. Rademaker*, Edward F. Vonesh, Jeri A. Logemann, Barbara Roa Pauloski, Dachao Liu, Cathy L. Lazarus, Lisa A. Newman, Annette Hamner May, Ellen MacCracken, Joy Gaziano, Linda Stachowiak

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

59 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background. Head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiation have difficulty eating a normal diet. This study was designed to characterize eating ability over 12 months after chemoradiation treatment. Analyses take patient dropout into account. Methods: Two hundred fifty-five patients with head and neck cancer treated with chemoradiation were followed for 12 months. Eating ability was analyzed using generalized linear model methods that accounted for non-ignorable dropout. Results. Eating ability was compromised immediately after treatment and improved over 12 months to near pretreatment levels. Ability to eat at most 50% of the diet orally did not return to baseline levels (p < .05). However, the percent of patients eating a normal diet did return to baseline levels. Accounting for dropout modified the results, but the pattern of significance was similar. Conclusions. Treatment of head and neck cancer with chemoradiation has a significant effect on eating ability, which improves after 12 months after treatment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1034-1041
Number of pages8
JournalHead and Neck
Volume25
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2003

Keywords

  • Chemoradiation
  • Dropout
  • Dysphagia
  • Generalized linear models
  • Head and neck cancer

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Otorhinolaryngology

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