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Electrogustometry and contact endoscopic findings in patients with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and radiochemotherapy.
  • Pavlos Pavlidis,
  • Gregor Schittek,
  • Haralampos Gouveris
Pavlos Pavlidis
General Hospital of Thessaloniki G Papanikolaou
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Gregor Schittek
Medical University of Graz

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Haralampos Gouveris
Johannes Gutenberg University Hospital Mainz
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Abstract

Introduction: Aim is to investigate in parallel changes in electrogustometric thresholds and in morphology of the fungiform papillae as well as in shape and density of the vessels of the tip of the tongue in patients with head and neck malignancy before and after treated with radiochemotherapy. We have also studied whether the observed changes in function and morphology may be reversible. Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients with tonsil-cancer treated with radiochemotherapy were prospectively studied. Measurements took place before starting treatment and at the end of each cycle of chemotherapy. Additional measurements were conducted two and four months after the end of the therapy. Results: All patients showed alterations in form and vascularization of fungiform Papillae (fPap). After the end of therapy an improvement in the EGM-thresholds without immediate improvement in the shape and vascularization of fungiform papillae was found. Two months after the end of the therapy a minimally significant difference in the EGM-thresholds measured on the tip of the tongue was shown. By the second measurement we have noticed a little improvement of the EGM-threshold, accompanied only by an improvement in the vascularization of fPap. Conclusions: The improvement in taste acquity was not directly accompanied by changes in vascularization of papillae and shape. The last parameters seem to recover late in time.