Cancer with dysphagia is a common problem cancer patients are facing, especially those with head and neck cancers or those undergoing treatments like radiation therapy. Not every cancer patient will develop dysphagia, but when you start noticing signs of swallowing difficulty, such as choking when eating or drinking, it’s best to adjust the diet so eating remains safe and the patient can still get the nutrients and hydration they need.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some insights we’ve gathered about cancer and dysphagia, suitable IDDSI-level foods and drinks, and how to adjust daily habits to support someone living with both conditions.
How Cancer With Dysphagia Happens
Cancer with dysphagia doesn’t happen for just one reason. It’s usually a combination of factors related to both the cancer itself and the treatments used to fight it.
When cancer develops in or near the structures involved in swallowing (your mouth, throat, esophagus, or voice box), it can physically block the passage of food or interfere with the muscles and nerves that coordinate swallowing. Even a small tumor in the wrong spot can make swallowing painful or difficult.
Cancer treatments can also affect your ability to swallow. Radiation therapy to the head, neck, or chest area can cause inflammation, scarring, and changes to the tissues involved in swallowing. Chemotherapy can lead to mouth sores (mucositis), dry mouth, nausea, and taste changes that make eating and swallowing uncomfortable or unpleasant.
Surgery is another major factor. Operations to remove tumors in the mouth, throat, or esophagus often alter the anatomy or affect the nerves controlling swallowing muscles.
Types of Cancer Causing Dysphagia
Not all cancers carry the same risk for swallowing difficulties. Here are the types most commonly causing dysphagia:
1. Head and Neck Cancer (Oral Cavity, Pharynx, Larynx)
These cancers sit right in the swallowing pathway, so it makes sense they’d cause the most significant swallowing problems. Treatment often involves surgery, radiation, or both, which can affect tongue movement, throat muscles, and the coordination needed for safe swallowing. Many patients with head and neck cancer will experience some degree of dysphagia during or after treatment.
2. Esophageal Cancer
Your esophagus is literally the tube that carries food from your throat to your stomach, so cancer here directly impacts swallowing. You might first notice difficulty with solid foods, which can progress to trouble with softer foods and eventually liquids as the tumor grows or treatment progresses.
3. Thyroid Cancer
The thyroid gland sits right in front of your windpipe and esophagus. Depending on the tumor’s size and location, it can press on these structures and make swallowing uncomfortable. Surgery to remove the thyroid can also affect nearby nerves that control voice and swallowing function.
4. Lung Cancer
This one surprises people, but lung cancer can absolutely cause swallowing difficulties. Tumors in certain parts of the lung can press on the esophagus or affect nerves that control swallowing. Additionally, radiation treatment to the chest area can cause inflammation in the esophagus (radiation esophagitis), leading to pain and difficulty swallowing.
5. Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Located at the back of the nose where it connects to the throat, nasopharyngeal cancer affects an area crucial for normal swallowing. Radiation therapy to this region frequently causes swallowing difficulties due to the high doses needed and the sensitive tissues involved.
6. Oropharyngeal Cancer
This cancer affects the middle part of your throat, including the base of your tongue, soft palate, and tonsils. All these structures play important roles in moving food safely from your mouth into your esophagus. Treatment almost always impacts swallowing to some degree.
Early Signs of Cancer With Dysphagia
Dysphagia or swallowing difficulties signs are easily noticeable, watch for these signs to the cancer patient you’re taking care of:
- Coughing or choking while eating or drinking, especially with thin liquids
- Food getting stuck in your throat or chest, or feeling like something’s left behind after swallowing
- Taking much longer to eat meals than it used to, or avoiding certain foods entirely
- Pain when swallowing (odynophagia), which might make the patient afraid to eat
- Frequent throat clearing or a wet, gurgly voice quality after swallowing
- Recurring pneumonia or chest infections from food or liquid entering airway
- Drooling or difficulty controlling saliva
If the patient reports trouble swallowing, the doctor will order tests to watch the food and water pass through mouth and throat during eating or drinking. These tests may use imaging (such as X-rays during a modified barium swallow study) or a flexible scope to look inside the throat.
IDDSI-Level Food and Drinks for Cancer Patients With Dysphagia
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) provides a framework that helps match food and liquid textures to your swallowing abilities. Here’s how it applies to cancer with dysphagia patients:
| IDDSI Level | Texture Description | Suitable Foods for Cancer Patients | When Cancer Patients Need This Level |
| Level 7 – Regular / Easy to Chew | Normal texture; may need slight softness | Soft rice, mashed potatoes, poached fish, scrambled eggs, well-cooked vegetables, moist cakes | Mild oral discomfort only; no swallowing difficulty but prefers soft foods due to mild pain, fatigue, or dry mouth |
| Level 6 – Soft & Bite-Sized | Soft, tender foods cut into 1.5 cm pieces | Moist minced chicken, soft pasta, tofu cubes, cooked apple, banana slices | During or after radiotherapy or chemotherapy when chewing becomes tiring or jaw stiffness occurs |
| Level 5 – Minced & Moist | Finely minced (4 mm), cohesive, moist | Minced beef with gravy, mashed lentils, soft risotto, cottage cheese | Moderate dysphagia, mouth ulcers, or surgical recovery (head & neck, esophagus); still able to control tongue movement |
| Level 4 – Pureed / Extremely Thick | Smooth, no lumps; holds shape | Blended oatmeal, pureed chicken with broth, thick mashed sweet potatoes, yogurt | Severe mucositis, significant dysphagia, or after radiotherapy when solid food causes pain |
| Level 3 – Liquidised / Moderately Thick | Can be drunk with spoon or wide straw | Smooth soups, pureed fruits, thick milkshakes | Early post-surgery, high fatigue, or severe throat pain preventing spoon feeding |
| Level 2 – Mildly Thick (Drinkable) | Slightly thicker than water | Thickened nutritional supplements (Ensure, Boost), thickened juices | Mild dysphagia or aspiration risk; transitioning from pureed to more fluid intake |
| Level 1 – Slightly Thick | Thicker than water but flows easily | Slightly thickened tea, broth, or water with commercial thickener | For mild swallowing delay or when liquids cause coughing |
| Level 0 – Thin | Regular liquids | Water, juice, coffee, tea (unthickened) | Only if safe swallowing confirmed; for patients without swallowing issues or after swallowing rehabilitation |
Supporting Equipments A Cancer Patient with Dysphagia Will Need At Home
Image source: National Foundation of Swallowing Disorder (NFOSD).
Managing dysphagia on cancer patients will become much easier when you have the right tools on hand. Here are some recommended tools and equipments you can have:
1. Adaptive Eating Utensils
Cancer treatment can affect hand strength, coordination, and head mobility, making regular dishes and cups surprisingly challenging. These adaptive eating utensils can help you when the situation occurs:
- Nosey cups: The cut-out design allows drinking without tilting the head back, crucial for patients experiencing pain after surgery or radiation
- Non-spill cups: Reduce anxiety about spills and help patients drink at their own pace, especially helpful when hand tremors or weakness occur during chemotherapy
- Suction plates: Stay put on the table, helping patients with limited hand strength focus on eating
Content you can read related to this: Best Dysphagia Cups for Safe Drinking based on IDDSI Levels
2. Texture Testing Equipment
Everyone with dysphagia needs a slightly different texture, and cancer treatment can change what feels comfortable from day to day. These simple tools help you check food and drink consistency:
- Cooking thermometer: Many cancer patients find certain temperatures easier to manage when dealing with mucositis or throat sensitivity
- Syringe flow test (without the needle): Tests whether thickened liquids meet the right IDDSI level. Here’s the step-by-step guide to do this test.
- Testing spoon: Checks if pureed foods hold their shape appropriately
3. Thickeners
You might use a mix of natural thickeners and store-bought ones depending on how you feel and what you’re eating. Natural thickeners like banana, avocado, or yogurt can make the food texture thicker while boosting nutrition and improve how the food tastes. However, if you don’t want the taste to get affected, using commercial thickeners like DysphagiAide or SimplyThick can be a great help. They usually don’t affect taste, and some products even contain additional nutrients and calories.
We’ll need to write a content comparing natural and commercial thickeners! But for now, if you’re interested to use commercial thickeners, we have some guides that might be helpful for you:
- 6 Favourite Food Thickeners For Swallowing Difficulties
- 7 Daily Drinks Safe Enough to Mix with Thickeners
- Gum-Based Thickener, A Dysphagia Thickener Alternative A Coffee Drinker Will Love
4. Safe Eating Support
Some cancer patients may already use these supports, but if dysphagia is also present, they become even more important:
- Adjustable backrest: Allows finding the angle that makes swallowing easiest, adjustable as energy levels change
- Neck support pillow: Maintains good head and neck alignment during meals
- Anti-choke device: Provides peace of mind for both patients and caregivers
- Emergency suction device: For clearing the mouth or throat if needed
5. Rehabilitation Tools
If a cancer patient has been living with dysphagia for a long time, rehabilitation may be needed to help improve eating comfort and function. These tools can support that process:
- Jaw therapy devices: Help with jaw stiffness or limited mouth opening from radiation fibrosis or surgery (trismus)
- Swallowing exercise apps: Make it easier for cancer patients to track exercises between therapy sessions
Facing cancer with dysphagia both is tough, but it doesn’t have to take the joy out of eating. With the right foods, tools, and small adjustments, patients can still enjoy safe, nutritious meals and stay well-hydrated. Paying attention to early signs, using helpful equipment, and keeping up with swallowing exercises can make a real difference in daily life.
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