Association between radiation dose to organs at risk and acute patient reported outcome during radiation treatment for head and neck cancers

Background Associations between patient-reported outcomes and dose to organs at risk (OARs) may promote management and guide future investigations. Methods We retrospectively evaluated PROs and OAR dose in head and neck (H&N) cancer. Results In 169 patients, we identified weak associations between: "Difficulty swallowing/chewing" and increased mean RT dose to the oral cavity, larynx, pharyngeal constrictor muscles (PCM) and contralateral parotid; "choking/coughing" and larynx mean dose; "problems with mucus in mouth and throat" and oral cavity, contralateral parotid mean dose and parotid V30, contralateral submandibular gland and PCM mean dose; "difficulty with voice/speech" and oral cavity, contralateral parotid, contralateral submandibular gland and larynx mean dose; and "dry mouth" and ipsilateral submandibular gland, oral cavity and PCM mean dose. Conclusion We identified weak associations between PRO and dose to OARs-these data can guide on treatment management, patient counseling, and serve as a baseline for future investigations.