Evaluating a Low-Cost Therapeutic Device in Managing Head and Neck Cancer Patients With Radiation-Related Trismus

Running, not enrolling · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Trismus, Head and Neck Cancer

In brief

This trial evaluates how well a new therapeutic device works in managing trismus in patients who received radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. Radiation therapy is a common form of treatment in patients with head and neck cancers. However, changes to surrounding tissue following radiation therapy may lead to trismus, an inability to open the mouth fully. This can create significant functional impairment leading to malnutrition due to impaired chewing, risk of dental infections due to impaired oral hygiene, difficulty with speech, and decreased health-related quality of life. Exercise therapy is the mainstay of treatment for post-radiation trismus to help improve mobility and flexibility and increase range of mouth opening. This new device is non-invasive and is similar to other jaw stretching devices where a mouthpiece is placed between the teeth and a hand-lever is used to spread open the upper and lower jaw. However, it will also have additional sensors to measure pressure exerted by the hands and jaw as well as the distance to open the mouth which could help guide therapy. This study may help doctors customize a device to patient-specific needs, provide real-time feedback, and encourage compliance for trismus exercise therapy.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05671861

Run by

University of California, San Francisco

People needed

35

Starts

2023-04-27

Expected to finish

2028-03-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-13

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Male or female >= 18 years of age at visit 1.
• Documentation of a radiation-induced trismus diagnosis as evidenced by one or more clinical features consistent with the trismus phenotype (maximum interincisal opening (MIO) < 35 mm) and a history of head and neck radiation
• Written informed consent (and assent when applicable) obtained from subject or subject's legal representative and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study.

You may not qualify if…

• Presence of a condition or abnormality that in the opinion of the investigator would compromise the safety of the patient or the quality of the data.
• Minors (age < 18 years) or patients with inability to provide informed consent.

Where it is running

• University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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