Quality-of-life scores compared to objective measures of swallowing after oropharyngeal chemoradiation.

Objectives/hypothesis: To compare objective measures of swallowing function with patient reports of swallowing-related quality of life 1 year after treatment of oropharyngeal cancer with chemoradiation therapy.

Study Design: Patients seen for follow-up at least 1 year after treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma with chemoradiation therapy were sequentially approached and asked to participate in the study.

Methods: Maximum pharyngeal constriction, hyoid elevation, upper esophageal sphincter opening size, and bolus pharyngeal transit time were measured from modified barium swallowing studies in a group of 31 patients at least 1 year after chemoradiation therapy for the treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma. Measures were made for a liquid 1-mL, 3-mL, and 20-mL bolus. Objective measure results were compared to scores from the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory and The University of Washington Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire results from the same patients.

Results: No strong correlation was identified between any of the objective measures of swallowing physiology and quality-of-life scores.

Conclusions: Patient perception of the impact of swallowing function on quality of life does not correlate well with actual physiologic functioning.