Internal lymphedema is prevalent for people with head and neck cancer. Jeans et al. (2023) report that more than 96% of people with head and neck cancer develop internal lymphedema, resulting in dysphagia as well as the occurrence of penetration and aspiration. The Revised Patterson Edema Scale represents a valuable advancement in the assessment of laryngeal and pharyngeal edema following treatment for head and neck cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. CRC is rapidly shifting to diagnosis at a younger age, at a more advanced stage, and in the left colon/rectum. Many colon cancer cases are sporadic, with approximately 5 percent attributed to inherited genetic mutations and familial adenomatous polyposis.

Retrograde Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction (RCPD) is characterized by the inability to burp as well as associated symptoms including loud gurgling noises, chest and abdominal pain, and excessive flatulence. It is hypothesized that RCPD is caused by inability of the cricopharyngeal sphincter to relax during esophageal distention.

The prevalence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has been increasing over the last several decades, with minimal improvements in mortality rates related to this cancer.

Vocal fold nodules are benign and are often located at the midpoint of the membranous vocal fold. They typically occur bilaterally and are correlated with epithelial changes and basement membrane fibrosis.

The BaByVFSS Impairment Profile (BaByVFSSImP™) is the first standardized assessment tool designed to quantify swallowing function based on observations from videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) in bottle-fed infants.

A Zenker’s diverticulum often develops in the hypopharynx between the cricopharyngeus muscle and the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. The etiology of Zenker’s diverticulum is not completely understood. It is hypothesized that Zenker’s diverticulum is the result of abnormal structure and physiology of the cricopharyngeus muscle.

Esophagitis is inflammation or injury to the esophageal mucosa with causes including gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), radiation, infections, local injury due to medications, pill esophagitis, eosinophilic, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Diagnosis may be based on clinical examination and history however endoscopy and biopsy examination are required to differentiate subtypes of esophagitis.

The Robust Esophageal Screening Test (REST) is a validated and standardized esophageal screening protocol, that is essential in specifying and expediting next steps for multidisciplinary teams.