Effect of voice training intervention on swallowing function in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A randomized controlled trial

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effect of voice training in patients with head and neck cancer who were undergoing radiotherapy. Method: This study used a randomized controlled trial design. IBM SPSS 26.0 was used to randomly divide 74 patients into a control group and an experimental group. The control group followed a swallowing exercises program, and the experimental group additionally received ABCLOVE voice training. Both training programs continued throughout the entire radiotherapy cycle. We compared standardized swallowing assessment (SSA), maximum phonation time (MPT), the Voice Handicap Index -10, and incidence of complications such as difficulty opening the mouth, malnutrition, and aspiration between the two groups at T1 (0 radiotherapy sessions, before radiotherapy), T2 (15 -16 radiotherapy sessions, middle of radiotherapy), and T3 (30 -32 radiotherapy sessions, end of radiotherapy). Results: 70 participants completed this study. Swallowing function and MPT intergroup and interaction effects were statistically significant between the two groups ( P < 0.05). At the end of radiotherapy (T3), the SSA score (20.77 +/- 1.96) and MPT (10.98 +/- 1.75) s in the experimental group were superior to those in the control group (SSA: 22.06 +/- 2.38 and MPT: 9.49 +/- 1.41 s), with statistical significance ( P <0.05). Moreover, the incidence of malnutrition and aspiration in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Voice training can improve swallowing function and MPT and reduce complications related to swallowing disorders in patients with head and neck cancer.