Preventing late nerve damage after throat (oropharyngeal) cancer treatment
Project 2: OPC-NERVE
This project looks for ways to detect and prevent delayed nerve injuries that cause swallowing, breathing, and speaking problems in people treated with radiation for oropharyngeal (throat) cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180360 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a survivor of throat cancer treated with radiation, I could develop delayed lower cranial neuropathy (LCNP) years later that harms swallowing, speaking, and breathing. This project aims to find early signs of nerve injury before muscles waste away and symptoms become permanent, and to test nimble, mechanism-targeted ways to monitor and intervene. Researchers will use clinical exams, imaging, and other measurements over time to identify who is at risk and try approaches to reduce progression. The ultimate aim is to lower late feeding tube placement, tracheostomy, and pneumonia among long-term survivors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who received curative radiotherapy for oropharyngeal (throat) cancer — especially survivors several years after treatment or those with early swallowing changes — are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without a history of oropharyngeal cancer or those whose nerve damage is already advanced and long-standing are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could catch nerve injury earlier and reduce lifelong swallowing disability, aspiration pneumonia, and the need for feeding tubes or tracheostomy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has documented LCNP and shown limited benefit from standard therapies, so this targeted surveillance and mitigation approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hutcheson, Katherine Arnold — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Hutcheson, Katherine Arnold
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.