Functional assessment after oral cancer resections is objective assessment mandatory

Oral cavity is an aesthetically and functionally important area which serves form and many important functions including speech and swallowing. About two thirds of patients with oral cavity cancer present with locally advanced disease, necessitating multimodality management in the form of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery often has to be extensive in nature requiring complex reconstructive procedures. This in turn results not only in disfigurement but also interference with essential functions like speech, swallowing, mastication, mouth opening and oral competence. Functional assessment of 51 patients with oral cavity SCC undergoing surgery either upfront or post neoadjuvant therapy was done both subjectively [institution based scoring system] and objectively[Objective methods]. It has been found that both assessment methods correlated well with each other. It has also been observed that there is a trend towards decline in the functions in the post therapy period.