Training people to start swallows during exhalation to improve safety after oropharyngeal head and neck cancer
Training Swallowing Initiation during Expiration: Impact on Safety and Efficiency Following Treatment for Oropharyngeal Head and Neck Cancer
This program teaches people treated for oropharyngeal head and neck cancer to time their swallows with exhalation to help make swallowing safer and more efficient.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178384 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be randomly assigned to either the active breathing-swallow training or a sham (placebo) version and receive guided practice sessions to learn to begin swallowing during exhalation. The study uses breathing monitoring and swallowing tests (including imaging like a barium swallow) to track how your swallowing and airway protection change. Training may include clinic visits and ambulatory monitoring or app-guided practice to reinforce the new swallow-breath pattern. Results will compare airway safety and how much food or liquid is left behind after swallowing between the groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who have completed treatment for oropharyngeal head and neck cancer and who have ongoing swallowing problems (dysphagia).
Not a fit: People without dysphagia, those whose swallowing problems are due to fixed structural blockages, or those unable to follow training instructions are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce airway invasion (aspiration) and leftover residue, making swallowing safer and more efficient for survivors.
How similar studies have performed: An earlier pilot trial showed marked improvements with this respiratory-swallow phase training, but larger randomized evidence is still limited and this Phase II trial builds on promising preliminary results.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin-Harris, Bonnie J — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Martin-Harris, Bonnie J
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.