Risk and Clinical Risk Factors Associated With Late Lower Cranial Neuropathy in Long-term Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Survivors.

Importance: Lower cranial neuropathy (LCNP) is a rare, but permanent, late effect of radiotherapy and other cancer therapies. Lower cranial neuropathy is associated with excess cancer-related symptoms and worse swallowing-related quality of life. Few studies have investigated risk and clinical factors associated with late LCNP among patients with long-term survival of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC survivors).

Swallowing-related outcomes associated with late lower cranial neuropathy in long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors: cross-sectional survey analysis.

Background: The purpose of this study was to quantify the association of late lower cranial neuropathy (late LCNP) with swallowing-related quality of life (QOL) and functional status among long-term oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

Methods: Eight hundred eighty-nine OPC survivors (median survival time: 7 years) who received primary treatment at a single institution between January 2000 and December 2013 completed a cross-sectional survey (56% response rate) that included the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and self-report of functional status. Late LCNP events ≥3 months after cancer therapy were abstracted from medical records.

Symptom Burden Associated With Late Lower Cranial Neuropathy in Long-term Oropharyngeal Cancer Survivors.

Importance: Lower cranial neuropathy (LCNP) is a rare but potentially disabling result of radiotherapy and other head and neck cancer therapies. Survivors who develop late LCNP may experience profound functional impairment, with deficits in swallowing, speech, and voice.

Objective: To investigate the association of late LCNP with severity of cancer treatment-related symptoms and subsequent general functional impairment among oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

Symptom burden as a driver of decisional regret in long-term oropharyngeal carcinoma survivors.

Background: The purpose of this study was to characterize decisional regret and its association with symptom burden in a large cohort of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) survivors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1729 OPC survivors. Survey items included a multisymptom inventory and a validated decisional regret inventory.