European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

STUDY OF SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS IN PATIENTS OF HEAD AND NECK CANCERS AFTER RADIO-CHEMOTHERAPY

Dr. V. P. Singh, Dr. Nikunj Jain* and Dr. Richa Gupta

ABSTRACT

 Introduction: The multimodality approach in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck has been found to reduce the risk of local failure and improves survival. Radiation treatment strategies have not been adopted to protect the inner ear. Radiation damage can thus occur from the pharyngo-tympanic tube to the brain stem auditory pathway and therefore may cause hearing loss.  Materials and methods: A total of 100 Histopathologically proved Head and Neck cancer patients were selected, out of which 66 patients were subjected to radiotherapy and 34 patients were subjected to concomitant chemoradiation to study the occurrence of SNHL from oct2017 to jan2019.  Results: The sensorineural hearing loss was more in higher frequencies. A paired sample t-test was conducted to compare the hearing losses before and 6, 12 months after therapy and were found to be significant (p<0.05). It was found that hearing loss was persistent. The difference of proportions of hearing loss after RT and RT+CT (p<0.05) after 1 month were found to be significant.  Conclusion: As the radiation field descends down from nasopharynx effect on otological structures decreases. Both incidence and severity of hearing loss increased with time especially at high frequencies. Patients who received concomitant chemoradiation experienced greater sensorineural hearing loss compared with patients treated with radiotherapy alone.

Keywords: Sensorineural hearing loss, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, head and neck.