Can a simple cough exercise restore strength after head and neck cancer?

NCT ID NCT07756684

Not yet recruiting Symptom relief Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 11, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a cough skill training program can help people with head and neck cancer cough more effectively. Participants practice voluntary coughs using a handheld device during sessions and at home. The goal is to see if the training is feasible and if it improves cough strength, which may help prevent food or liquid from entering the airway.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Cough skill training using a handheld cough device
What this could lead to: If successful, this approach could offer a new way to help head and neck cancer survivors cough more effectively, reducing the risk of choking or aspiration.
What could go wrong: This is a very small early feasibility study with only 10 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The training may not improve cough strength, and the device may be hard to use.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEAD AND NECK CANCERS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Airway Protection Research Lab at Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.