Clinical Profile and Referral Pathways in Late Radiation-Associated
Dysphagia (Late-RAD): A Consecutive Case Series
Abstract
Dysphagia as a late side-effect of radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck
cancer (HNC) may not manifest until many years post-treatment (1).
Insidious deterioration in swallowing function can significantly impact
emotional and physical health. Patients may need enteral feeding support
and experience chest co-morbidities which can be fatal (2). Not all
patients will develop late-RAD and there is variation in the literature
regarding actual prevalence due to heterogeneity in study populations
and designs (3). There is also a lack of consensus regarding the
definition of ‘late’ but growing acknowledgement that a latency period
occurs, where swallowing function is stable before a progressive decline
is seen (4). Discharge from surveillance at five years post-treatment
has been standard in published recommendations (5). However, there is
increasing recognition that this should be extended to allow for
appropriate monitoring for the development of delayed side effects (6).