Swallowing outcomes in brachytherapy radiation approach for head and neck cancer survivors- A twin case-based observations

Swallowing dysfunction is a prevailing state following radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. The progress in the treatment techniques has allowed more precise radiation administration to the tumour and has reduced damage to adjacent issues. Nonetheless, a proportion of patients still suffer from swallowing dysfunction following radiotherapy. Brachytherapy is an advanced procedure to treat and manage cancers increasing in recent clinical practice. BT has been used as a tool to facilitate the delivery of a high tumour dose in which it eventually reduces the doses to neighbouring swallowing structures, compared with conventional RT. There are no studies reported the swallowing abilities following brachytherapy. Hence considering the lacunae in the literature and the effect of radiation on swallowing abilities the present case study was taken to represent the swallowing abilities in oral cancer patients received brachytherapy. Two cases diagnosed with carcinoma of buccal mucosa and tongue were given brachytherapy. The speech and swallowing abilities were affected in both the condition prior to brachytherapy. Following brachytherapy speech and swallow rehabilitation was carried out for one month and both of them showed significant improvement and case with buccal mucosa showed greater improvement than carcinoma of tongue. The present concludes that there will be organ specific dysphagia symptoms in brachytherapy and involvement of adjacent structures are minimal.