Radiation-induced Trismus and Related Measures of Patient Life Quality

Radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), with or without surgery, are the established current standard treatment modalities for patients with head and neck cancers (HNC). Radiation-induced trismus (RIT), a serious side effect of RT or CCRT, can affect 5% to 69% of HNC patients, depending on the primary tumor, its spread to neighboring tissues, and the stage of the disease. RIT is typically described as having a maximum mouth opening of 35, which can manifest as early as three months of therapy or as late as 12 to 48 months after RT or CCRT. The victims of RIT may experience considerable negative impacts on their quality of life (QoL) measurement domains of everyday activities, speech, chewing, eating, drinking, malnutrition, dehydration, halitosis, oral hygiene, pain, aesthetic appearance, emotional, sexual and economic. Given the underappreciated nature of RIT and its detrimental effects in HNC patients undergoing RT or C-CRT, the goal of this chapter was to provide a concise review of the physical, social, emotional, sexual, and economic implications of RIT and their impact on QoL measures, as well as the available evaluation methods for health professionals working in related medical fields.