Effect of swallowing training combined with nutritional intervention on the nutritional status and quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients with dysphagia after operation and radiotherapy.

Abstract

Dysphagia is a common complication in patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery and radiotherapy. To explore the effect of swallowing training administered in combination with nutritional intervention on the nutritional status and quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients with dysphagia after surgery and radiotherapy. Sixty-six patients with laryngeal cancer who developed dysphagia were randomly divided into control group and intervention group (n=33 in each group). Patients in both groups received total laryngectomy and prophylactic radiotherapy and were provided routine health counseling and swallowing training. Patients in the intervention group were additionally provided with nutritional intervention. All patients were evaluated using video fluoroscopic swallowing examination (VFSE), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment on nutritional status (PG-SGA) score, and Quality of Life Questionnaire-core 30 (QLQ-c30) score immediately after radiotherapy and 3months later. Prior to swallowing training, there was no significant between-group difference with respect to VFSE evaluation, PG-SGA score, or QLQ-c30 score. Both groups showed improvement in these measures at 3months after radiotherapy; however, the improvement in the intervention group was significantly better than that in the control group. Swallowing training combined with nutritional intervention can improve swallowing function, nutritional status and the quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients with dysphagia after operation and radiotherapy.