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.