Evidence-based systematic review: Oropharyngeal dysphagia behavioral treatments. Part IV--impact of dysphagia treatment on individuals' postcancer treatments.

This evidence-based systematic review (EBSR) is part of a series of reviews investigating swallowing behavioral treatments for individuals with dysphagia. This EBSR focuses primarily on individuals with dysphagia postcancer treatments. The seven behavioral interventions under review included three postural interventions (side lying, chin tuck, and head rotation) and four swallowing maneuvers (effortful swallow, Mendelsohn, supraglottic swallow, and super-supraglottic swallow). We systematically searched the dysphagia literature from March 2007 to April 2008. Six studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were evaluated for methodological quality and characterized by research stage. Effect sizes were calculated when possible. All studies included were considered exploratory, with quality-marker scores ranging from 1 to 4 out of 7 possible markers. Five studies examined one or more of the four swallowing maneuvers, and one study addressed the chin-tuck posture. No studies addressed side lying or head rotation. Currently, limited evidence exists from six studies showing the positive effects of behavioral swallowing interventions for populations with structural disorder. Because of the range of structural deficits resulting from cancers and their treatments, further research is needed that evaluates specific intervention effectiveness.