Christine B. Peterson

About

Christine B. Peterson is a leading researcher in head and neck cancer survivorship, with a focus on preserving swallowing function during and after treatment. Her work centers on two key areas: the impact of radiotherapy and transoral robotic surgery (TORS) on swallowing outcomes, and the role of patient adherence to eating and exercise protocols in mitigating treatment-related dysphagia. Peterson’s most-cited paper (2022, 37 citations) validates that maintaining oral intake and performing swallowing exercises during radiotherapy independently improve diet and functional outcomes—a finding that directly informs clinical guidelines for oropharyngeal cancer patients. She has also compared swallowing function after intensity-modulated proton therapy versus TORS (2020), and examined outcomes in low- to intermediate-risk tonsil cancer patients treated with unilateral or bilateral radiation (2021). By generating prospective, longitudinal evidence, Peterson has helped shift the paradigm from purely survival-focused care to one that prioritizes quality of life. Her work is essential for clinicians designing de-intensified treatment plans and for researchers developing patient-centered supportive care interventions.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Adhering to Eat and Exercise Status During Radiotherapy for Oropharyngeal Cancer for Prevention and Mitigation of Radiotherapy-Associated Dysphagia

   37 citations · 2022
2. 2
   Swallowing After Primary TORS and Unilateral or Bilateral Radiation for Low‐ to Intermediate‐Risk Tonsil Cancer

   8 citations · 2021
3. 3
   Comparison of Prospective, Longitudinal Swallowing Function after Primary Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) or Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

   4 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links