Intensive Swallowing Rehabilitation for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors With Chronic Dysphagia: Outcomes From a Prospective Multicentre Cohort Study With 6-Month Follow-Up.

J I Oldenbeuving, L van der Molen, J T Groothuis, J G Kalf

Abstract readMulticenter Study

In one paragraph

Article in Head & neck, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

J I OldenbeuvingRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6864-3875

L van der MolenAntoni Van Leeuwenhoek - Netherlands Cancer Institute, Department of Head and Neck Oncology and Surgery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

J T GroothuisRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

J G KalfRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic dysphagia persists in some head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors despite preventive exercises, negatively impacting quality of life. Evidence for effective rehabilitation strategies remains limited.

methodsThis prospective cohort study included 34 HNC survivors (≥ 1 year post-treatment) who completed a 3-week intensive swallowing rehabilitation (ISR) program (15 sessions, 60 min/day). Outcomes were measured at baseline (T0), post-treatment (T1), and 6-month follow-up (T2) using patient-rated (VAS, MDADI, PSS-HN), clinician-rated (food level, AUS-TOM), and objective swallowing outcomes (MSS, MSV, TOMASS).

resultsISR was feasible and safe (92% completion, no adverse events). Patient-rated and most clinician-rated outcomes improved significantly post-ISR and remained stable at 6 months (VAS: p < 0.001; PSS-HN: p < 0.001; food level: p = 0.002). MDADI and AUS-TOM for solids further improved at follow-up. Objective swallowing tests showed no clinically relevant change.

conclusionISR effectively improves normalcy of diet and quality of life in HNC survivors with chronic dysphagia, with benefits sustained at 6 months.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsDeglutition DisordersHead and Neck NeoplasmsAdultAgedChronic DiseaseCohort StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesQuality of LifeTreatment Outcomehead and neck cancerintensive swallowing rehabilitationlong‐term dysphagiaspeech language therapistswallowing related quality of life

Identifiers

PMID41958226

DOI10.1002/hed.70271

PMCPMC13595464

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.