Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship: Physical and Functional Status

Overview

RATIONALE: Early physical therapy may be effective in improving range of motion of the neck and shoulders in head and neck cancer survivors who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying how well early physical therapy works in improving physical and functional well-being in head and neck cancer survivors receiving chemoradiotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: * Describe the physical and functional well-being of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors undergoing physical therapy during adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. * Describe clinical measure of range of motion for the cervical spine and shoulder of HNC survivors undergoing physical therapy during adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. * Determine the feasibility of an early physical therapy intervention (prior to and during adjuvant treatment) targeting the physical needs of HNC survivors. OUTLINE: Patients undergo physical therapy weekly for 10 weeks beginning 1 week prior to initiating adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and continuing until 2 weeks after the completion of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Patients undergo range of motion assessment and complete a Cancer Survivorship Survey (CSS) at baseline and in weeks 4, 8, 9, and 10 of physical therapy.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (3)

Outcomes