Dysphagia-A Gift With Purchase: A Head and Neck Cancer Survivor's Narrative of Swallowing Difficulties

This article provides readers with a first-person account of the physical, emotional, and social burdens caused by iatrogenic dysphagia resulting from oncological treatment. The challenges that persist after treatment for human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal cancer are illustrated through the patient's narrative. When integrated with current evidence highlighting the multifaceted impact of dysphagia on quality of life, the importance of patient education and self-advocacy is demonstrated.

A qualitative, narrative-based approach captured the lived experiences of David, a head and neck cancer patient living with dysphagia. A literature review was conducted to guide the formulation of open-ended prompts for David. They encouraged David to reflect on the onset, diagnosis, and long-term impacts of dysphagia as well as his experience in developing coping strategies to adapt to his swallowing difficulties. His written responses were formulated. Follow-up questions were asked during a recorded telephone conversation, which was transcribed verbatim. His narrative was integrated with existing literature to contextualize David's experiences with known clinical evidence.

This article highlights the negative impacts of dysphagia on the physical, emotional, and social aspects of quality of life following treatment for head and neck cancer. Integration of Daivd's experiences with current research provides evidence supporting the importance of transparent patient education and speech-language pathology intervention before, throughout, and after oncological treatment. Furthermore, awareness of the long-term impacts of dysphagia prior to onset can provide guidance and better prepare both caregivers and patients. As a single-case narrative, the observations are not generalizable to all dysphagia patients. Therefore, further research capturing the lived experiences of a broader group of patients is recommended to expand understanding and identify common needs.