Related Experiment Videos
Dysphagia in head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy
Nele Platteaux1, Piet Dirix, Eddy Dejaeger
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, University Hospitals Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, Leuven, Belgium. nele.platteaux@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
Abstract:
Dysphagia is a very common complaint of head and neck cancer patients and can exist before, during, and after chemoradiotherapy. It leads to nutritional deficiency, weight loss, and prolonged unnatural feeding and also has a major potential risk for aspiration. This has a significant negative impact on the patient's entire quality of life. Because treatment of dysphagia in this setting is rarely effective, prevention is paramount. Several strategies have been developed to reduce dysphagia. These include swallowing exercises, treatment modification techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy, selective delineation of elective nodes, reducing xerostomia by parotid-sparing radiotherapy, and adding of radioprotectors. However, more research is needed to further decrease the incidence of dysphagia and improve quality of life.
Related Concept Videos
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists
Phenothiazines, such as prochlorperazine...
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists
Esophageal Achalasia
Esophageal Strictures-I: Introduction
Etiology
The primary cause of esophageal strictures is long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), accounting for about 70 to 80% of adult cases. Chronic acid reflux can lead to injury and scarring of the esophageal lining, culminating in...