Adherence to preventive exercises and self-reported swallowing outcomes in post-radiation head and neck cancer patients

Background: To reduce the risk of long-term swallowing complications after radiation, swallowing exercises may be helpful. Both the rate of adherence to swallowing exercises and its impact on future swallowing function are unknown. Methods: In all, 109 patients with oropharyngeal cancer beginning radiation were tracked for 2 years to determine adherence to swallowing exercises. Participants completed the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) 1-2 years after treatment, to assess self-reported swallowing function. Adherence, demographics, tumor, and treatment variables were multivariably regressed onto the MDADI physical subscale score. Results: In accord with speech pathologist documentation, 13% of the participants were fully adherent and 32% were partially adherent. Adherence was associated with the Physical MDADI Subscale score in the multivariate model (p =.01). Conclusions: The majority of patients with head and neck cancer are nonadherent to swallowing exercise regimens and may benefit from supportive care strategies to optimize their adherence.