Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether geniohyoid and/or masseter muscle mass can predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery for head and neck cancer. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 45 male patients with head and neck cancer (median age, 68 years) who underwent salvage surgery. The preoperative geniohyoid and masseter muscle masses were evaluated using computed tomography and the severity of dysphagia was evaluated by Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and Oropharyngeal swallow efficiency (OPSE). The median PAS, FOIS and OPSE scores after surgery were 7 (interquartile range [IQR] 1–8), 6 (IQR 2–7) and 95.8 (IQR 67.1–116.2), respectively. The mean geniohyoid muscle masses were 3.13 ± 0.78 cm2 and the mean masseter muscle masses were 4.37 ± 0.99 cm2, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that the geniohyoid muscle mass was significantly associated with the PAS, FOIS and OPSE scores. Conversely, the masseter muscle mass was not significantly associated with the PAS score but was significantly associated with the FOIS and OPSE scores. Geniohyoid muscle mass may predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery.
Highlights
This study aimed to determine whether geniohyoid and/or masseter muscle mass can predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery for head and neck cancer
We visualized the preoperative geniohyoid and masseter muscle masses, which were related to dysphagia or sarcopenia, via neck computed tomography (CT) used for cancer status evaluation and determined whether these muscle masses may predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery in patients who had previously undergone radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
The preoperative geniohyoid muscle mass was associated with the severity of dysphagia evaluated using both the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores after salvage surgery
Summary
This study aimed to determine whether geniohyoid and/or masseter muscle mass can predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery for head and neck cancer. The preoperative geniohyoid and masseter muscle masses were evaluated using computed tomography and the severity of dysphagia was evaluated by Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and Oropharyngeal swallow efficiency (OPSE). The skeletal muscle mass is associated with the swallowing function[20]; we hypothesized that skeletal muscle mass prior to surgery may predict the swallowing function after salvage surgery for head and neck cancer. We visualized the preoperative geniohyoid and masseter muscle masses, which were related to dysphagia or sarcopenia, via neck computed tomography (CT) used for cancer status evaluation and determined whether these muscle masses may predict the severity of dysphagia after salvage surgery in patients who had previously undergone radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
