Source: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004;130:1100-1103 Authors: Bruce H. Campbell, MD et al. Objective: To determine associations between objective assessments (swallowing function and weight change) and subjective quality-of-life (QOL) measures. Design: Observational case series using clinical testing and questionnaires. Setting: University hospital-based tertiary clinical practice. Patients: Convenience sample of 5-year survivors of head and neck cancer (62 nonlaryngectomy survivors were studied). Interventions: Objective testing included examination, weight history, videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS), and oropharyngeal swallowing efficiency (OPSE). Subjective testing included QOL questionnaires (University of Washington Quality-of-Life [UWQOL] Scale, Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients [PSS-HN], Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment–General [FACT-G] Scales, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Head and Neck [FACT-H&N] Scale). Main Outcome Measures: Aspiration (identified by VFSS), weight change, and QOL measures. Results: Aspiration was associated with the decreased QOL scores in chewing, swallowing, normalcy of diet, and additional concerns of the FACT-H&N Scale. No association was found between aspiration and willingness to eat in public, subjective understandability, or any of the FACT-G scales. Of the nonlaryngectomy survivors, 27 (44%) demonstrated some degree of aspiration during VFSS. Associations were found between aspiration, primary tumor T stage, weight change, and OPSE. Aspirators lost a mean of 10.0 kg from precancer treatment weight, while nonaspirators gained a mean of 2.3 kg (P