Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41723292›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2026

Patients' experiences of dysphagia and rehabilitation care needs across the pre-, intra-, and post-radiotherapy phases for head and neck cancer: a qualitative study.

Tingting Yang, Biling Su, Jing Zheng, Xiumei Chen, Xiaomin Chen, Zhijiang Li, Hua Ye, Jie Jia

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Tingting YangDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Biling SuDepartment of Head and neck Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Jing ZhengDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environment Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
Xiumei ChenDepartment of Head and neck Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Xiaomin ChenDepartment of Head and neck Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Zhijiang LiDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Hua YeDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jin'an District Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Jie JiaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. shannonjj@126.com.

Funding

the Major and Difficult Disease Clinical Collaboration Program of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Guo Zhong Yi Yao Zong Jie He Han [2023] No. 250the National Key Research and Development Program Project of China 2018YFC2002300, 2018YFC2002301the National Natural Innovation Research Group Project 82021002the National Natural Integration Project 91948302the Shanghai "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" Special Project for Gerontechnology Support 24YL1900200
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to explore the experiences of dysphagia and rehabilitation care needs of head and neck cancer patients across the pre-, intra-, and post-radiotherapy phases. The findings provide essential evidence for developing individualized rehabilitation care protocols for dysphagia.

methodsA qualitative descriptive study was conducted at the Radiation Oncology Department of a cancer hospital in China from December 2024 to March 2025. Purposive sampling was used to select head and neck cancer patients at different radiotherapy phases. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture their experiences of dysphagia and rehabilitation care needs. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed qualitatively using a content analysis approach.

resultsFour key themes of patients' experiences of dysphagia and rehabilitation care needs were identified: (1) emotional experiences across peri-radiotherapy phases, (2) dynamic swallowing perceptions across peri-radiotherapy phases, (3) radiotherapy phase-specific critical distress points, and (4) evolving rehabilitation care needs in dysphagia management.

conclusionSituated within the Chinese context, this study explores dysphagia experiences and rehabilitation care needs of head and neck cancer patients across the pre-, intra-, and post-radiotherapy phases. The findings reveal that these experiences and needs are diverse and differentiated. Healthcare providers should develop stage-specific rehabilitation care protocols for dysphagia that are tailored to the experiences and needs of head and neck cancer patients at different phases of radiotherapy.

Indexed as

Deglutition DisordersHead and Neck NeoplasmsAdultAgedChinaFemaleHealth Services Needs and DemandHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchDysphagiaHead and neck cancerPsychological experiencesQualitative studyRadiotherapyRehabilitation care needs

Identifiers

PMID41723292

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.