[Treatment related swallowing dysfunction and the potentialities of IMRT]

Altered fractionated radiotherapy and concurrent chemoradiation could improve local control and survival for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. However, intensified treatment seems to increase late toxicity. Late swallowing dysfunction is common and has a large impact on quality of life and can get life-threatening character. Recent studies could show interrelations between the radiation dose to certain anatomical structures involved in the swallowing process and the risk of swallowing dysfunction. Important structures seem to be the pharyngeal constrictors and the supraglottic and glottic larynx. Further prospective clinical validations using standardized diagnostic protocols for dysphagia are necessary to establish dose constraints to anatomical structures involved in swallowing.