Gender Effects on Airway Closure in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Age, gender, and bolus effects on the duration of laryngeal closure, the onset of laryngeal closure in relation to the first cricopharyngeal opening, and the duration of cricopharyngeal opening in head and neck cancer patients have not been well documented. Thirty-three head and neck cancer patients (middle-aged women and men, and older women and men) were evaluated with videofluoroscopy before and 3 months after their cancer treatment. At 3 months post-treatment, the mean duration of laryngeal closure was longer for women than for men at 1-, 5-, and 10-ml bolus volumes. The duration of laryngeal closure at 3 months post-treatment and the duration of cricopharyngeal opening at both pretreatment and 3 months post-treatment increased as liquid bolus volume increased. Gender effects were observed in the duration of laryngeal closure during swallow. Bolus effects were observed in the duration of laryngeal closure and cricopharyngeal opening.