Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
Routine Screening Method for Microparticles in Platelet Transfusions
Published on: January 31, 2018
Development and evaluation of screening dysphagia tools for observational studies and routine care in cancer patients
Michael Borean1, Kishan Shani1, M Catherine Brown1
1Division of Medical Oncology Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada.
Background And Aims:
Dysphagia can be associated with significant morbidity in cancer patients. We aimed to develop and evaluate dysphagia screener tools for use in observational studies (phase 1) and for routine symptom monitoring in clinical care (phase 2).
Methods:
Various dysphagia or odynophagia screening questions, selected after an expert panel reviewed the content, criterion, and construct validity, were compared with either functional assessment of cancer therapy - esophageal cancer (FACT-E) Swallowing Index Cut-Off Values or to questions adapted from the Patient Reported Outcomes for Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Sensitivity, specificity, and patient acceptability were assessed.
Results:
In Phase 1 (n = 178 esophageal cancer patients), the screening question "How are you currently eating?" had the highest sensitivities and specificities against various Swallowing Index Cut-Off Value cut-offs, with the best optimal cutoff associated with weight loss (80% sensitivity and 75% specificity). In phase 2 (255 head and neck, gastro-esophageal, and thoracic cancer patients), a single question screener ("Do you experience any difficulty or pain upon swallowing?") versus a Patient Reported Outcomes for Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events-like gold standard generated sensitivities between 86% and 94% and specificities between 93% and 100%. This screening question (+/- follow-up questions) had a median completion time of under 2 minutes, and >90% of patients were willing to complete the survey electronically, did not feel that survey made clinic visit more difficult, and did not find the questions upsetting or distressful.
Conclusion:
Our results demonstrate that these screener tools ("How are you currently eating?", "Do you experience any difficulty or pain upon swallowing?") can effectively screen dysphagia symptoms without increasing cancer outpatient clinic burden, both in observational studies and for routine clinical monitoring.
More Related Videos
10:38Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
07:29Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
Published on: June 20, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:13Patient-centered Care
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
02:30Naturalistic Observations
01:26Varicose Veins II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
01:29Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
02:43Mouse Models of Cancer Study
The development of transgenic, knockout, and knock-in mice has led to an exponential increase in their use as model organisms in research,...