Brief and Intensive Therapy for Dysphagia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

According to data in the literature, patients with head and neck cancer, who undergo combined treatment of radio-chemotherapy, have, to a greater or lesser extent, swallowing changes. Most of the time, these patients undergo traditional speech-language interventions, performed weekly. This project proposes a brief and intensive therapy program for dysphagia, with daily interventions, showing that this therapeutic modality generates benefits in a shorter time interval when compared to traditional therapy. This short service period contributes to the reduction of hospital costs and reduces the total number of interventions, which is beneficial for both the patient and the service that performs the care. The present study was to verify the efficacy of a brief and intensive therapy program for dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radio-chemotherapy treatments, since they present, to a greater or lesser extent, changes of swallowing. This is a randomized clinical trial pilot project that will be developed in an oncology hospital. The population of this study is composed of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer, over 18 years of age, with indication of combined radiotherapy , referred for speech therapy through the Multidisciplinary Oncology Outpatient Clinic of Santa Rita Hospital (AMOHR).

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult patients from 18 years of age;
* Diagnosis of head and neck cancer;
* Indication of combined treatment of radio-chemotherapy;

Exclusion Criteria:

* Have performed prior speech and hearing care for at least three months prior to the start of the study;
* Previous history of other neoplasias and / or neurological diseases, according to the participant's report and information of the medical record;
* Cognitive deficits and / or changes in the central nervous system that make it difficult to understand commands (illiterate individuals will have scores of at least 20 points, followed by 25 individuals from 1 to 4 years of study, 26.5 to 5 at 8 years, 28 to 9 to 11 years and finally, 29 to 11 years or more of schooling, according to Brucki et al., 2003).
* Cardiac problems, according to the participant's report and information on the medical chart.
* Do not attend therapy for more than three sessions.