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Table 5 Acute and late dysphagia in relation to PEG placement

From: Long term results of postoperative Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) in the treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) located in the oropharynx or oral cavity

Dysphagia

all patientsa

without PEG at start of RT

n

% (n = 75)

n

% (n = 50)

grade 0

7

9

7

14

grade 1

22

29

22

44

grade 2

7

9

7

14

grade 3

39

52

14

28

PEG

prior or during RT

long term after RT

n

%

n

%

postoperativeb

13

17

5

38

prophylacticc

12

16

2

17

symptomaticd

7

9

0

0

nonee

43

57

4f

9

  1. PEG percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube, RT radiation therapy, a: all patients with PEG during RT regardless of reason for placement or use scored as grade 3 dysphagia, b: patients who received PEG postoperatively due to aspiration or persistent dysphagia until initiation of RT, c: patient who received PEG for prophylactic reasons prior to initiation of RT on discretion of the treating radiation oncologist, d: patients who received PEG during RT due to dysphagia, e: patients who did not receive a PEG during the whole course of RT, fpatients who needed PEG due to development of late dysphagia after completion of the full RT course