Head and Neck Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
Cancer, Dysphagia, Radiation, Patients with H&N cancer who will be receiving chemoradiation
Brief summary
The purpose of this project is to determine if pre-treatment swallowing exercises can improve post-treatment swallowing function in patients undergoing radiation with or without chemotherapy for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Interventions
OTHERPre-treatment swallowing exercises
Swallowing exercises will be started pre-treatment with radiation.
OTHERPost-treatment swallowing exercises.
Patients to start swallowing exercises after completion of radiation therapy.
Sponsors
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Stage III or IV squamous cell cancer of teh pharynx and larynx * Patients who will be receiving chemoradiation * Age 19 years of age or older * Must sign informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Prior cancer diagnosis * Metastatic disease * Cognitive Impairment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To test whether pre-treatment swallowing exercises compared with usual care (where exercises are taught post-treatment) improves quality of life in patients undergoing chemoradiation therapy for advanced head and neck cancer. | 8 weeks, 6 months, 12 months post radiation treatment |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To test whether pre-treatment swallowing exercises compared with usual care improves secondary outcome measures related to dysphagia in this patient population. | 8 weeks, 6 mnths and 12 months post radiation. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed