Swallowing News and Research

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Use of feeding tubes in OPC cancer patients treated with IMPT decreased by 50%

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center found that the use of feeding tubes in oropharyngeal carcinoma cancer patients treated with intensity modulated proton therapy decreased by more than 50 percent compared to patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy.

26 Sep 2013

Swallow therapy combats post-radiotherapy dysphagia

Swallowing exercises can help to minimize the risk for dysphagia in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, a case study suggests.

20 Sep 2013

Botox Cosmetic receives FDA approval for treatment of crow’s feet lines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new use for Botox Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lateral canthal lines, known as crow’s feet, in adults. Botox Cosmetic is the only FDA approved drug treatment option for lateral canthal lines.

12 Sep 2013

Head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation benefit from swallowing exercises

A study at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation as part of their treatment were less likely to need a feeding tube or suffer unwanted side effects such as worsening of diet or narrowing of the throat passage if they performed a set of prescribed swallowing exercises - called a "swallow preservation protocol" - during therapy.

5 Sep 2013

Head, neck cancer patients receiving radiation complied with SPP likely to suffer side effects

A study from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) has found that head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation as part of their treatment were less likely to suffer unwanted side effects such as worsening of diet, need for a feeding tube, or narrowing of the throat passage if they complied with a set of prescribed swallowing exercises called a swallow preservation protocol (SPP) during therapy.

30 Aug 2013

Five things every person should know about Parkinson's disease

Michael J. Fox is back in the spotlight this fall in a new sitcom "The Michael J. Fox Show" and spreading awareness about Parkinson's disease, a condition both he and his TV character have in common. Fox has been an outspoken advocate for Parkinson's disease research and awareness since disclosing his condition to the public in 1998.

30 Aug 2013

Overwhelming fear in children may be a sign of separation anxiety disorder

Most children experience some degree of apprehension and excitement as the first day of school approaches, but what does it mean when a child is overcome with fear at the thought of separating from parents and caregivers to go to class? This overwhelming fear may be a sign of separation anxiety disorder, a condition characterized by a school-aged child's extreme fear and nervousness of separating from loved ones.

22 Aug 2013

New treatment guidelines on diagnosis and management of achalasia

New treatment guidelines on the diagnosis and management of achalasia, a primary motor disorder of the esophagus, appear in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

24 Jul 2013

Implications for treating some common food allergies

Food is an integral part of life; but, for some, it can be harmful. Allergic inflammation caused by inappropriate immune responses to some types of food has become a major public health issue. Over the past ten years, the prevalence of food allergies has increased by nearly 20 percent, affecting an estimated six million people in the U.S.

22 Jul 2013

Food safety tips to keep your picnic free from unpleasant side effects

July is National Picnic Month and many of us are headed outdoors to celebrate this summer ritual. As food heats up in warmer temperatures, bacteria can multiply rapidly.

20 Jul 2013

Cancer prehabilitation has potential to reduce problems, improve physical and mental health outcomes

For patients with cancer, "prehabilitation"— interventions given between the time of diagnosis and the start of treatment—has the potential to reduce complications from treatments and improve physical and mental health outcomes, according to a report in the August American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

19 Jul 2013

Physician offers helpful tips to a healthy summer

Summer is officially here, and for many, so is the threat of sunburn, bug bites and allergies. Deepti Shivakumar, MD, family practice at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, offers some helpful tips to a healthy summer.

27 Jun 2013

Young people need to wise up and turn the volume down on their earbuds, says audiologist

In today's disposable society, hearing is an endangered species. "Once hearing is damaged, it cannot be repaired," said Jyoti Bhayani, a certified audiologist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola University Health System. "And hearing aids have yet to become coveted status accessories so young people need to wise up and turn the volume down on their earbuds."

21 Jun 2013

Penn researchers find ALS disease progresses in a stepwise, sequential pattern

The motor neuron disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, progresses in a stepwise, sequential pattern which can be classified into four distinct stages, report pathologists with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in the Annals of Neurology.

20 Jun 2013

New clinical trial may help reduce radiation dose for patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer

Researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center and other institutions have completed a phase II clinical trial that may help identify those patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer who do not require the full radiation dose given in a standard regimen of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Preliminary findings will be presented by Shanthi Marur, first author on the study and an oncologist at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Sunday, June 2.

1 Jun 2013

New guidelines to reduce early elective deliveries cut NICU admissions by 50%

New guidelines to reduce early elective deliveries at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies have cut by 50 percent the admission of late pre-term newborns (37-38 weeks gestation) into the neonatal intensive care unit, resulting in healthcare cost savings.

16 May 2013

Juice products from Juices Incorporated have potential health risk, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to consume any juice products or other beverages from Juices Incorporated (aka Juices International and Juices Enterprises) of Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 May 2013

New online resource provides practical guidance on caring for patients with dysphagia

Healthcare professionals caring for patients with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) now have access to a new and comprehensive online resource called 'Medicines Optimisation in Patients with Dysphagia'.

2 May 2013

Study indentifies unmet medical need for treatment of patients with chronic pain and dysphagia

Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for chronic pain, today announced the completion of a research study, conducted with an independent market research firm, that identified a significant unmet medical need for improved treatments for patients with chronic pain and dysphagia/odynophagia. In clinical practice, dysphagia is most often defined as difficulty in swallowing and odynophagia is defined as pain upon swallowing.

22 Apr 2013

Dental associations urge regular oral cancer examinations for early detection

Almost 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or throat cancer this year. The 5-year survival rate of those diagnosed is only slightly more than 64%. When cancer is detected and treated early, treatment-related health problems are reduced.

12 Apr 2013