Publications by authors named "L Tuomi"

Objectives: to compare saliva proteome of patients before treatment of head and neck cancer and six months post-treatment with controls.

Design: Five dentate patients and five age and gender-matched controls were included. The stimulated salivary secretion rate was determined, and saliva was stored at -80 °C.

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Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the effect of a preventive jaw-training intervention program on the development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients treated for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods: We randomized 58 consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck area into two groups before initiation of a curatively intended oncologic treatment: training with a jaw mobilizer once a day or a control group without active exercise. A comprehensive examination according to diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) was conducted at baseline (before oncologic treatment) 6 and 12 months after completed radiation therapy (RT).

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In the head and neck cancer (HNC) population around 45% suffer from chronic swallowing difficulties after cancer treatment. Previously a measure for flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) where swallowing efficiency, safety and overall ability is evaluated within the same framework has been lacking. The Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity for FEES (DIGEST-FEES) was developed in 2021 and provides such a measure for patients with HNC.

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Aims: To investigate how absorbed doses to mastication structures in modern radiotherapy (RT) technique for head and neck cancer (HNC) compared with earlier RT techniques and with published trismus tolerance doses. To compare the incidence of radiation-induced trismus by earlier and newer RT techniques.

Materials And Methods: This study investigated two HNC patient cohorts treated with RT in 2007-2012 (three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy [3DCRT] and/or intensity-modulated radiotherapy [IMRT]; n =121 [Cohort 1]) and 2017-2020 (volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT]; n =124 [Cohort 2]).

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Background: Radiation-induced dysphagia and restricted mouth opening are common problems among patients with head and neck cancer. The aim of the present randomized controlled trial was to determine if an exercise protocol could prevent swallowing and mouth opening impairment.

Methods: Eighty-nine participants were randomly assigned to either an active group performing preventive swallowing and mouth opening exercises (n = 45) or to a control group (n = 44).

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