Predictors of speech and swallowing function following primary surgery for oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

Objectives: To examine the association between the speech and swallowing aspect of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and selected clinical parameters, and particularly to determine those that are predictive of good outcomes at 1 year after surgery.

Design: Prospective questionnaire and clinical study.

Setting: Regional Maxillofacial Unit.

Participants: A total of 278 consecutive patients undergoing primary surgery for squamous cell carcinoma between 1995 and 1999. HRQOL was assessed using the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire (UW-QOL) pre-surgery, and post-surgery at 6 months, 1 year and later (median 39 months).

Main Outcome Measures: Presentation of results was mainly descriptive, involving percentages and mean scores. Association of clinico-demographic factors with tumour site, and with UW-QOL swallowing and speech after 12 months, was tested with Fisher's exact or chi-squared tests as appropriate and modelled using logistic regression methods.

Results: Univariate relationships were seen between speech and swallowing scores and with tumour size, T staging, radiotherapy, type of surgery (primary closure or free tissue transfer), tumour site, extent of resection of posterior tongue and soft palate, and UW-QOL taste and saliva scores. Multiple logistic regression showed that no radiotherapy (P<0.001) and primary surgical closure/laser surgery (P=0.003) were the main predictors of good swallowing, and primary surgical closure/laser surgery was the main predictor of good speech (P<0.001) at 1 year.

Conclusions: A number of clinical parameters can influence the speech and swallowing aspect of quality of life in these patients and when feasible, primary closure results in a better outcome than free flap reconstruction.