Pharyngocise Dose Response Study
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01279837 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: January 19, 2011
Last Update Posted
: January 5, 2012
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Dysphagia | Behavioral: Pharyngocise | Phase 2 Phase 3 |
In an earlier pilot study, a regime of simple swallowing exercises was identified as useful in maintaining oropharyngeal muscle characteristics as measured by T2 weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and produced a trend toward improved function for swallowing in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. The purpose of this current study is to evaluate the dose response of two levels of swallowing exercise intensity on the maintenance of muscle composition and function for swallowing in Head/Neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.
HYPOTHESIS: A program of intensive swallowing exercise (Pharyngocise) will maintain muscle function in the oral cavity and pharynx during radiotherapy, preserving or supporting swallowing function in Head/Neck cancer patients.
STUDY DESIGN: 130 patients with Head/Neck cancer, confirmed by clinical history and exam, will be recruited over a 4 year period. All subjects will undergo an initial baseline work up, including a standardized clinical and instrumental swallowing evaluation, psychosocial scales, nutritional exam, and T2 weighted MRI prior to the first radiation therapy. Subjects will be randomized into 1 of 3 groups:
Group A: Usual care (control) group - patients will receive swallowing and prescribed dietary intervention during the radiotherapy period prescribed by the attending physician.
Group B: High intensity pharyngocise treatment group - patients will receive twice daily swallowing intervention by a speech language pathologist, consisting of the battery of isometric/isotonic exercises.
Group C: Low intensity pharyngocise treatment group - patients will receive a single instructional exercise session on the isometric/isotonic exercises from a Speech Language Pathologist and a practice tape to support home practice of the exercises.
All patients will be treated for approximately 6 weeks and followed for 3 months post treatment. Baseline assessments will be repeated. In addition, daily treatment details, patients perception of current swallowing ability and progress in therapy will be recorded by the Speech Pathologist. Participants will be independently monitored throughout the treatment period by researcher blind to the treatment group assigned, via weekly phone interview sessions. Compliance with the treatment techniques, and the occurrence of any negative endpoints such as occurrence of aspiration pneumonia will be recorded.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 130 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Factorial Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Prevention |
Official Title: | Muscle Preservation and Swallow Function Following Radiotherapy: A Dose Response Study |
Study Start Date : | June 2006 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 2011 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2011 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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No Intervention: Usual care
Control (Usual care) group in which patients will receive swallowing and prescribed dietary intervention during the radiotherapy period prescribed by the attending physician.
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Experimental: High Intensity Pharyngocise
Patients receive twice daily swallowing intervention by a speech language pathologist, consisting of the battery of isometric / isotonic exercises.
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Behavioral: Pharyngocise
swallowing intervention by a speech language pathologist, consisting of the battery of isometric / isotonic exercises
|
Active Comparator: Low Intensity Pharyngocise
Patients will receive a one time only swallowing intervention session by a speech language pathologist, instructing them in the battery of isometric / isotonic exercises plus a home practice instruction digital video tape to support self directed practice of this program at home.
|
Behavioral: Pharyngocise
swallowing intervention by a speech language pathologist, consisting of the battery of isometric / isotonic exercises
|
- Change in T2 Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging [ Time Frame: at 3 months after treatment ]T2 Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to quantify baseline muscle parameters in the oral cavity and pharynx. The regions of interest will be identified on images using axial and coronal planes. Information regarding the muscle volume, composition (fat Vs muscle Vs edema) as reflected by the signal intensity.
- Clinical swallowing Ability [ Time Frame: baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months post treatment ]Swallowing ability and method/ type of dietary intake, e.g. Functional Oral Intake Scale score [F.O.I.S] over the study period
- Weight [ Time Frame: baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months post treatment ]Weight and Body Mass Index will be calculated.
- Psychosocial functioning [ Time Frame: baseline and 3 months post treatment ]Domain assessments for, quality of life, pain,and fatigue using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Head and Neck (FACT-H/N), Pain Disability Index (PDI), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Anemia (FACT-An) scale, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI), Profiles of Mood Scale (POMS) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CESD).
- Instrumental swallowing evaluation [ Time Frame: baseline and 3 months post treatment ]Range of swallowing biomechanics measured from endoscopic and fluorographic evaluations.
- Swallowing Quality of Life [ Time Frame: baseline and 3 months post treatment ]Patient perception of effect of swallowing disability - Swallowing Quality of Life (SWAL QOL) score during the study period.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 21 Years to 90 Years (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Head/Neck cancer of the oropharyngeal or adjacent regions, confirmed by clinical history and exam, with positive cross sectional imaging studies and histopathological biopsy excluding other pathology.
- Planned external beam radiation therapy
- No previous history of non-oral feeding for cancer related illness
- Able to undergo MRI imaging scan
- Patient and physician agreement to enter the study
Exclusion Criteria:
- Planned extensive surgical intervention
- Existence of a co-existing neurological or medical disorder known to cause dysphagia
- Prior radiotherapy or surgery to the head / neck region that could contribute to dysphagia.
- Previous swallowing therapy within four weeks of randomization
- Gross tumor involvement of the oral and pharyngeal muscles obviating adequate MRI measurements of the majority of muscles of interest.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01279837
United States, Florida | |
Shands Cancer Center, University of Florida | |
Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32610 |
Principal Investigator: | Giselle Carnaby-Mann, PhD | University of Florida |
Responsible Party: | University of Florida |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01279837 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
RSG-06-103-01(CCE) |
First Posted: | January 19, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | January 5, 2012 |
Last Verified: | January 2011 |
Keywords provided by University of Florida:
swallowing disorders swallowing therapy head neck cancer oropharyngeal dysphagia |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Deglutition Disorders Esophageal Diseases Gastrointestinal Diseases |
Digestive System Diseases Pharyngeal Diseases Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases |