PRO-ACTIVE: COMPARING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROPHYLACTIC SWALLOW INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS RECEIVING RADIOTHERAPY FOR HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) is a common and potentially life-threatening toxicity of radiotherapy (RT) for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), for which patients are commonly referred for swallowing therapy to a Speech-Language Pathologist. Some patients receive early intervention, before a swallowing problem begins – PRO-ACTIVE therapy. Other patients are monitored and prescribed dysphagia interventions only if and when a swallowing problem occurs – RE-ACTIVE therapy. Thus, RE-ACTIVE therapy aims to reverse an already impaired swallowing ability, whereas PRO-ACTIVE therapy aims to prevent or reduce severity of dysphagia.

The primary aim of the PRO-ACTIVE study is to compare the effectiveness of PRO-ACTIVE versus RE-ACTIVE swallowing interventions among patients with head and neck cancer who are scheduled to undergo radiotherapy.

Our study hypothesis is that PRO-ACTIVE therapies are more effective than RE-ACTIVE therapy, and that more intensive PRO-ACTIVE (EAT + EXERCISE) therapy is superior to less intensive PRO-ACTIVE (EAT) therapy. Therapeutic effectiveness will be measured at 12 months following radiotherapy and will be based on reduced feeding tube dependency.

PRO-ACTIVE was featured in a short video by The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.