Feasibility of Early Swallowing and Speech Intervention for Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated SURGically

What this study is about

Oral cavity cancer (OCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with tongue cancer being one of the most common subtypes. Patients with oral cancers can experience painful swallowing, swallowing difficulty (dysphagia), and associated weight loss long after surgery. Not only is dysphagia an independent predictor of quality of life (QoL) in cancer survivorship, it can also have a devastating impact on the health of patients resulting from complications such as pneumonia, malnutrition and feeding tube dependence. Emerging evidence suggests that patients undergoing surgery benefit from engaging with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) before problems arise, to learn swallow strategies that may become useful in their rehabilitation. This in turn has the potential to reduce complications and minimize the length of feeding tube dependency. This study will assess the feasibility of conducting a prospective clinical trial that would evaluate the effects on patient health, function and overall benefit of early and systematic SLP speech and swallowing intervention for head and neck cancer patients planned for curative surgical treatment. We will also assess long-term changes in select clinical and patient-reported outcomes comparing their status before, and one month after, treatment.

Who can join (things the study team will check)

✅ You may be able to join if…

• Newly diagnosed patients with at least T2 stage tongue SCC who are planned for partial glossectomy and free flap reconstruction and are anticipated to achieve a post-operative independent oral intake.
• Proficient in spoken and written English

🚫 You may not be able to join if…

• Patients who are planned for total glossectomy

Where this trial is running

• University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Who to contact

Trixie Reichardt, MHSc · 416-946-3826 · trixie.reichardt@uhnresearch.ca

It's completely normal to call and ask questions before deciding anything. Mention the study ID: NCT06192771.