Assessment of Swallowing Function in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma in High vs. Low Dose...

Cisplatin-based therapies are standard-of-care for advanced-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Treatment regimens include 3 weeks of high-dose bolus cisplatin or 6-7 weeks of low-dose weekly cisplatin, both with concurrent radiation. The effects of cisplatin dosage on swallowing function warrant further study. A 237-patient cohort treated for HNSCC at a single center were studied retrospectively. Gastrostomy tube dependence served as the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included weight changes, esophageal stricture, and lymphedema. The primary/secondary outcomes were not statistically significant; however, ototoxicity and renal toxicity were significantly higher in the high-dose group. These findings add insight into cisplatin dose-based functional outcomes.