The Efficacy of Vocal Function Exercises for Laryngeal Cancers

Investigating the Efficacy of Vocal Function Exercises in the Treatment of Voice Problems in Adults Treated With Radiation Therapy for Laryngeal Cancers

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT02156518

Enrollment

Registered

2014-06-05

Start date

2014-05-31

Completion date

2018-03-31

Last updated

2018-05-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Vocal Folds

Keywords

radiation therapy, laryngeal cancer, voice therapy, vocal function exercises

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if the systematic practice of Vocal Function Exercises (VFE) improves selected measures of voice production in participants who have previously been irradiated for early glottic cancers compared to participants who receive the present standard of care, namely, vocal hygiene counseling. It is hypothesized that a prescriptive vocal exercise program (VFE) will improve the voice production of individuals who have been previously treated for laryngeal cancers when compared to participants who receive vocal hygiene alone.

Interventions

PROCEDUREVocal Function Exercises

Vocal Function Exercises

PROCEDUREVocal Hygiene

Vocal Hygiene

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Hearing level and cognitive ability to follow test directions * Laryngeal cancer * Radiation Therapy completed \>= 6 months * Deemed disease free by the treating physician * Subjects have to be willing to attend weekly voice therapy sessions

Exclusion criteria

* Adjuvant treatment: laser or any surgical intervention * Neurological or cognitive impairment * Hearing levels that interfere with following test instruction * Vocal fold paralysis

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Voice production	6 weeks	Voice Handicap Index, a validated self- assessment tool was used as the primary outcome measure. A score of 0 indicates no handicap, and a score of 120 indicates complete impairment. Data will be presented as pre and post treatment score (pre and post 6 weeks of therapy).

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026