Experiences of swallowing and communication after nasopharyngeal cancer in Malaysian men: A Qualitative Study

Background: Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a relatively common cancer in Malaysia, particularly in men, but there is little research exploring its impact from the perspective of patients, including in relation to communication, eating and swallowing. This study sought to highlight experiences from the perspectives of male patients receiving treatment for NPC in Malaysia. Methods: Nine males with NPC (age range 49-73) were recruited from a single hospital in Malaysia. Individual interviews were conducted by a trained graduate research assistant and guided by a semi-structured interview guide. Transcribed data from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Respondents identified four key themes: (1) “I was too tired even to chew”: challenges with chewing and swallowing; (2) “You eat because you have to survive”: losing the pleasure in food, (3) “I only talked about what I wanted”: becoming a different communicator, and (4) “…health back. That is what I hope”: negotiating life after cancer. Patients reported a change in eating habits, a loss of pleasure when eating, a change in behaviour in talking, and societal withdrawal. Most of the patients reported coping mechanisms such as resorting to religion or finding support through shared experiences with other cancer patients. Conclusion: This study highlights the need to understand patient perspectives of the impact of NPC on eating, swallowing and communication in order to inform intervention and to help manage the psychosocial sequelae. Speech and language pathology services are crucial for addressing swallowing and communication challenges in patients with NPC.