How do you manage chronic radiation laryngeal edema for patients treated with RT for a larynx primary in the past?
Aside from smoking cessation, what interventions have you found useful to manage patients with chronic symptomatic laryngeal edema? Steroids seem to be a short term fix...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
I agree with @Matthew E. Witek's response above. I think it is important to differentiate between laryngeal edema resulting from RT and persisting as a sub-acute toxicity, as opposed to a patient who was treated in the past for larynx cancer and then develops laryngeal edema unexpectedly. In the for...
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Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
This is a challenging topic for which we lack solid evidence based recommendations. Lymphedema can manifest both in the soft tissues of the neck, as well as in the larynx. I always encourage patients to get in early with a certified lymphedema therapist for management. Emerging technologies such as ...
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Radiation Oncologist at Allegheny General Hospital-Western Pennsylvania Hospital
We've had decent luck getting the flexitouch syste...
We've had decent luck getting the flexitouch syste...
Radiation Oncologist at Anderson Regional Cancer Center
Does anyone have experience using pravastatin for ...
Does anyone have experience using pravastatin for ...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
Thankfully, with better treatment planning, treatment related laryngeal edema is less common nowadays, but I agree with the other answers that it is important first to rule out recurrent disease in patients with persistent edema with referred otalgia, odynophagia or suspicious exam/imaging. Continue...