Longitudinal assessment of articulatory and masticatory functions following glossectomy for tongue carcinoma

Abstract

The functions of articulation and mastication after glossectomy for tongue carcinoma were sequentially assessed. Longitudinal assessment of articulatory and masticatory functions was analyzed in 64 tongue cancer patients who underwent partial glossectomy (partial glossectomy group: 40 cases) or hemiglossectomy (hemiglossectomy group: 24 cases) in our department between January 2007 and August 2008. The mean age of the 64 patients (37 men, 27 women) was 56.9 years, ranging from 21 to 82 years. Tongue mobility was assessed using a tongue movement function test by Matsunaga's classification. Articulatory function was assessed using the monosyllable Japanese speech intelligibility test, while masticatory function was evaluated using color-changeable chewing gum and occlusal force score using Yamamoto's classification. The functions were evaluated preoperatively, and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. In all groups, both tongue movement and articulatory and masticatory functions were impaired 1 month after surgery, however they gradually recovered between 3 to 6 months and reached a plateau from 6 to 12 months. The values of the parameters in the partial glossectomy group and the hemiglossectomy group at 6 months postoperatively were respectively as follows : the tongue movement function scores were 6.9+/-0.4, 5.2+/-0.8; the speech intelligibility scores were 94.1+/-3.5%, 88.8+/-9.9%; the occlusal force scores by Yamamoto's classification were 5.3+/-0.9, 3.7+/-1.0; and the values of a* determined using the chewing gum were 13.8+/-2.4, 8.6+/-3.5. In addition, there was a correlation between speech intelligibility and the value of a*, and between speech intelligibility and occlusal force scores by Yamamoto's classification.