Oral function after oncological intervention in the oral cavity: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To assess self-perceived oral function of patients with oral cavity cancer at different stages of treatment, ie, before oncologic intervention, 5 weeks after intervention, and 5 years after intervention.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 158 patients with malignancy in the oral cavity treated by surgery in 1999 or 2000 was included. From this cohort we interviewed 69 patients by telephone in 2005 and collected data on dental status, disorders of chewing and swallowing, xerostomia, preference of food consistency, tube nutrition, weight loss, and speech for different stages of treatment.

RESULTS: For patients treated in the maxilla region we observed a significant (P < .05) recovery of perceived chewing ability after 5 years to the level experienced before oncologic intervention. Patients treated in the mandible region reported a deteriorated dental state, chewing ability, lip competence, and xerostomia after 5 years. Patients treated in the tongue and mouth-floor region experienced deterioration for dental state, chewing ability, and xerostomia after 5 years compared with the level before the oncologic intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: Our telephone interview on oral function provided supplementary information on how patients experienced their problems with oral function during various phases of oncologic treatment. A retrospective interview may thus help to add information to incomplete retrospective data.