Understanding speech changes after oral cancer surgery
Official title: Speech Flexibility in Adulthood Following Oral Cancer Treatment: Acoustic and Kinematic Explorations
Run by University Medical Center Groningen · NCT05876247 · Data updated 2026-05-14
This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for its current status, or see similar studies below.
This study looks at how surgery for oral cancer affects speech and whether different people's reliance on their senses can change how well they adapt their speech over time.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Medical Center Groningen Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Groningen and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT05876247 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates include adults aged 18 and older who are native Dutch speakers and have a diagnosis of T1 or T2 oral cavity tumors.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with recurrent oral cancer, pre-existing speech disorders, or significant neurological or psychological conditions may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to investigate the effects of surgical treatment for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma on speech articulation. Participants will undergo various speech tasks while their articulatory movements are monitored using electromagnetic articulography. The study will focus on how individual differences in sensory reliance may influence the effectiveness of speech compensatory strategies over time. By tracking these changes longitudinally, researchers hope to gain insights into the rehabilitation process for patients post-surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could improve speech rehabilitation strategies for patients recovering from oral cancer surgery.
How similar studies have gone: While similar studies have explored speech rehabilitation, this specific approach using motion tracking in the context of oral cancer treatment is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosed with T1 or T2 tumor in the oral cavity 2. At least 18 years old and able to provide informed consent 3. Native speaker of Dutch 4. Has nog been treated for oral cancer before Exclusion Criteria: 1a. Recurrence of disease (for patients) 1b. Treated for oral cancer (for healthy controls) 2. Speech problems (e.g., stuttering) 3. Problems with sight or hearing that impede reading or understanding instructions. When glasses or a hearing aid resolve these problems, then participants are not excluded. 4. Neurological or psychological disorders (e.g., stroke) 5. Non-removable metal in, on or around the head (piercings, braces, pacemaker, electrodes) 6. Self-reported signs of depression
Where it's running
-
Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen
Groningen, Netherlands Recruiting -
University Medical Centre Groningen
Groningen, Netherlands Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Max Witjes, PhD — University of Groningen
- Study coordinator: Thomas Tienkamp, MA
- Email: t.b.tienkamp@umcg.nl
- Phone: +31 50 36 37051
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Proton or Photon Radiotherapy Added to Pembrolizumab Before Surgery for Advanced or Recurrent Oral Cavity Cancer
This phase 2 trial tests whether adding proton SFRT or SBRT to pembrolizumab before surgery helps patients with advanced or recurrent oral cavity cancer.
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Selective neck dissection (levels I–IV) vs. modified neck dissection (levels I–V) in oral cavity cancer with a positive neck
This trial tests whether a less extensive neck surgery can control cancer as well as the standard broader surgery in patients with one involved neck node from oral cavity cancer.
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Personalized neck radiation guided by sentinel lymph node biopsy for oral cavity cancer
This phase II trial sees if using sentinel lymph node biopsy to guide which side(s) of the neck get radiation can safely reduce unnecessary radiation for people with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
-
Personalized compartment-sparing postoperative radiation for head and neck cancer
This trial tests whether targeted, compartment-sparing postoperative radiation can reduce side effects while keeping cancer control for people with surgically treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Cemiplimab with or without CDX-1140 given before surgery for stage III-IV head and neck cancer
This trial tests whether adding the immune stimulant CDX-1140 to cemiplimab before surgery helps shrink tumors in people with resectable stage III-IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Immune biomarker testing in cisplatin-ineligible head and neck squamous cell cancer patients treated with chemoradiation and docetaxel
This project will test whether immune markers from tumor tissue, blood, saliva and stool can help predict outcomes and show increased tumor immune activity in people with oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx or oral cavity squamous cell cancer who can't take cisplatin and are receiving chemoradiation with docetaxel.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.