Manual Therapy for Fibrosis-Related Late Effect Dysphagia in head and neck cancer survivors: the pilot MANTLE trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Late dysphagia that develops or persists years after head and neck cancer (HNC) is a disabling survivorship issue. Fibrosis is thought to stiffen connective tissues and compress peripheral nerve tracts, thereby contributing to diminished strength, flexibility, and in some cases denervation of swallowing muscles. Manual therapy (MT) is used in cancer survivors for pain and other indications, but it is unknown if increasing blood flow, flexibility and cervical range of motion (CROM) in the head and neck may improve late dysphagia.

Methods and analysis

Manual Therapy for Fibrosis-Related Late Effect Dysphagia (MANTLE) is a National Cancer Institute-funded prospective single-arm pilot trial evaluating the feasibility, safety and therapeutic potential of MT in patien

SUBMITTER: Hutcheson K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8340274 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature