Assessment of Hearing Ability in Patients after Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy

Introduction: The study assesses radiation-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in head and neck cancer patients, highlighting the common occurrence of SNHL as a significant side effect of radiation therapy (RT) targeting the cochlea and acoustic pathways. Material and Methods: The study included ۳۴ patients (۲۲ men, ۱۲ women, mean age ۴۰.۱۳ ± ۲۶.۸ years) with head and neck cancers undergoing three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (۳D-CRT); ۱۶ also had chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Pure-tone audiometry (PTA: ۲۵۰-۸۰۰۰ Hz) was done before, immediately after, and three months post-RT for all patients. Hearing impairment was evaluated using the CTCAE ۴.۰۳ scoring system. Results: According to the findings, ۱۹% and ۳۷% of ears experienced SNHL immediately post-RT and ۳ months after RT, respectively. The mean cochlear dose was ۲۵.۴۸ ± ۱۳.۵۶ Gy. A significant correlation existed between the cochlear dose and SNHL incidence (P-value < ۰.۰۵). Regression analysis indicated the mean cochlear dose as a robust predictor of SNHL, particularly at ۸۰۰۰ Hz (β = ۰.۵۷۰, P-value = ۰.۰۰۰۱). Highest SNHL incidence at ۸۰۰۰ Hz, ۳ months post-RT. A significant difference in SNHL threshold was observed between men and women at the frequency of ۱۰۰۰ Hz (P-value = ۰.۰۲۴). There was a statistically significant difference in SNHL thresholds between patients who underwent CRT versus those treated with RT alone (P-value < ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: RT commonly causes SNHL in head and neck cancer patients. Mean cochlear dose predicts SNHL, especially at higher frequencies.

کلیدواژه ها:

Head And Neck Cancer ، Radiation Therapy ، Sensorineural hearing loss ، Audiometry ، Side effects