Lymphatic research and biology
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Clinical Trial
Evaluation of CT Changes in the Head and Neck After Cancer Treatment: Development of a Measurement Tool.
The late effect continuum of lymphedema and fibrosis (LEF) affects more than 70% of patients after treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). LEF is associated with symptom burden and decreased function and quality of life. Although surveillance imaging is common posttreatment, objective assessment of soft tissues is not, likely due to the lack of objective evaluation methods and understanding of the significance of LEF. We undertook the development of a tool to measure LEF using CT scans in HNC patients. ⋯ The final LEF assessment tool (CT-LEFAT) provides a standardized method for assessing critical sites that are involved by LEF. Studies to assess reliability and validity are ongoing.