Deterioration of intraoral hole size identification after treatment of oral and pharyngeal cancer

Thirty-one patients with a diagnosed malignant tumour of the oral cavity or pharynx were tested in hole size identification on four test occasions: be fore all treatment, after radiotherapy and 6 months and I year after surgic al treatment. They a ere compared within groups as well as with a group of healthy reference individuals of the same age who underwent the same test p rocedure at a ? months' interval. The oral group did nut decline in hole si ze identification after radiotherapy, but did after surgery. The deteriorat ion was persistent 1 year after surgery. The pharyngeal group did not chang e performance in hole size identification after radiotherapy. nor after sur gery. Ir is obvious that surgery of the oral structures causes the deterior ation. No correlation with; damage to the lingual nerve could be registered . The oral cavity reacts as one unit, despite sensory input from two sides. The non-operated side dots not compensate for the operated side. It is pla usible that decreased oral sensory aquity, in recognizing hole size of the bolus, contributes to postoperative swallowing problems.