A Comprehensive Approach to Head and Neck Cancer Prehabilitation

NCT ID: NCT04617678

Last Updated: 2026-01-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-10-21
• Study Completion Date: 2026-12-31

Brief Summary

Head and neck cancer accounts for 3% of malignancies in the United States. However, the diagnosis and treatment for head and neck cancer is considered to be debilitating. Not because of its morbidity, but due to the extremely rigorous treatment course which has a profound impact on patients physical, social, and emotional functioning. Disfigurement and sensorimotor deficits further compound this impact. Head and neck cancer patients contend with treatments that can significantly affect their quality of life. Treatment regularly results in decreased functional capacity and decreased quality of life. Physical impairments are manifested through, but not limited to, disfigurement, deconditioning, communication issues, "swallowing, speech, breathing, and cancer-related fatigue". Premorbid factors such as preexisting anxiety and depression, chemical dependency, financial barriers, and lack of social support system are unique obstacles to the head and neck cancer population impacting treatment and outcomes. Due to these factors, patients experience higher rates of anxiety and depression, psychological distress, and fear of cancer recurrence. In fact, "compared with other survivors of cancer, head and neck cancer survivors are almost 2 times more likely to die from suicide". In view of the aforementioned research, Roger Maris Cancer Center's head and neck cancer will implement a prehabilitation program that evaluates each patient using standardized screening tools and provide personalized education and interventions. This project evaluates a more comprehensive and proactive multidisciplinary approach to improve treatment and outcomes in head and neck cancer patients.

Conditions

Cancer of Head and Neck

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Prospective Prehabilitation

Prospectively enrolling patients into a prehabilitation program for head and neck cancer.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Prehabilitation Program

Intervention Type: OTHER

We will assess whether prehabilitation intervention helps mitigate adverse symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidality, distress, nutritional status, dysphagia, sarcopenia, and well-being) on a sample of head and neck cancer patients. Subjects will attend a Prepare for Surgery Heal Faster session and meet with a physical therapist, registered dietician, speech language pathologist, and masters of social work at pre-treatment, 6-8 weeks post-treatment, and 5-6 months post-treatment completion.

Prospective Control

Prospectively enrolling patients to a control arm with no intervention.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Prehabilitation Program

We will assess whether prehabilitation intervention helps mitigate adverse symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidality, distress, nutritional status, dysphagia, sarcopenia, and well-being) on a sample of head and neck cancer patients. Subjects will attend a Prepare for Surgery Heal Faster session and meet with a physical therapist, registered dietician, speech language pathologist, and masters of social work at pre-treatment, 6-8 weeks post-treatment, and 5-6 months post-treatment completion.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Equal to or greater than 18 years of age
• Diagnosis of head and neck cancer
• Actively pursuing cancer treatment with a curative intent
• Willing and able to provide written consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients with cardiac arrhythmia with implanted pacemaker
• Patients with other implanted electronic equipment/device
• Patients undergoing external defibrillation
• Pregnant women (per BIS instructions for use, pregnant women should not participate)
• Patient weight exceeding 375 lbs.
• Patient has a metal allergy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of North Dakota

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Sanford Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Cheryl Hysjulien, PsyD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sanford Health

Locations

Sanford Health

Fargo, North Dakota, United States

Sanford Health

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States

Countries

United States

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Other Identifiers

CTR H&N Cancer Prehab

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id