An interventional study of Palatal Augmentation Prosthesis (PAP) and Articulation Therapy in Tongue Neoplasms, Tongue Cancer and Oral Cancer, sponsored by University of Michigan. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-08.
Sponsored by University of Michigan · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study will fill a scientific gap in the current knowledge providing data for evaluation of the palatal augmentation prosthesis (PAP) as a therapeutic modality post-surgery. This is a robust scientific randomized prospective clinical trial.
Positive outcomes from this study have the potential to dramatically alter the most common issues of oral cancer therapy, namely speech and swallowing functions. Patients will have been diagnosed with a cancer lesion of the tongue requiring surgery and removal of part of the tongue. Smaller cancers of the tongue are sized as T1 or T2. For patients with smaller lesions, a PAP, which can aid in speaking and swallowing, is not routinely provided.
This study will randomize patients into two arms; one for oral cancer patients that receive a small device, similar to a denture, called a PAP. The other arm will be patients who serve as a control and will not receive a PAP.
The PAP requires patients to have a dental mold created. A dentist customizes the PAP to specifically fit the individual's mouth.
The study will investigate whether the PAP improves speech following tongue cancer as measured by three different scales. Both groups will see a speech language therapist for additional measures of speech evaluation.
Exclusion Criteria:
This arm will receive a PAP (palatal augmentation prosthesis) with standard articulation therapy. This is the study arm
Device: Palatal Augmentation Prosthesis (PAP) · Other: Articulation Therapy
This arm will not receive a PAP (palatal augmentation prosthesis), but will receive standard articulation therapy. This is the control arm.
Other: Articulation Therapy
The palatal augmentation prosthesis, or PAP can improve speech and swallowing functions through reshaping the palatal contours. This may improve the contact between the tongue and hard palate as a person speaks or eats. It is meant to be created after adequate healing in patients with adequate motivation for improvements in their speech and swallowing. Regular wear and articulation therapy are necessary for this therapy to be effective.
Subjects will receive the standard of care speech and articulation therapy in either arm.
Also known as: Speech Therapy
Word intelligibility
The Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric speech (AIDS) test is a validated assessment of word and sentence intelligibility as well as speech efficiency. The AIDS score will be measured at baseline before surgery for tongue cancer, then after surgery at the timepoints of one month, three months, six months and one year. Six months is the primary time point measurement. Measurements will also be obtained at these other time points, which will possibly be used for other outcome analysis which are neither primary nor secondary. The unit being measured will be a percent score of words correctly transcribed by two blinded untrained listeners of the subjects' audio recordings of separate un-related words.
Time frame: 6 months
Sentence intelligibility
The Assessment of intelligibility of dysarthric speech (AIDS) test is a validated assessment of word and sentence intelligibility as well as speech efficiency and will be measured at baseline before surgery for tongue cancer, then post-operatively at one month, three months, six months and one year. Six months is the primary time point measurement, although measurements will also be obtained at these other time points, which will possibly be used for other outcome analysis which are neither primary nor secondary. The unit being measured will be a percent score of words correctly transcribed by two blinded untrained listeners of the subjects' audio recordings of words in sentences.
Time frame: 6 months
Articulation at the word level of phonemes (consonant sounds)
The Goldman Fristoe 2 test of Articulation sounds in words subtest (GFTA2) is a standardized, validated and reliable tool that systematically assesses articulation of phonemes (consonant sounds). It offers normative data from ages 2 through 21. This will be measured at baseline pre-treatment of tongue cancer, then post-operatively at one month, three months, six months and one year. Six months is the primary time point measurement, although measurements will also be obtained at these other time points, which will possibly be used for other outcome analysis which are neither primary nor secondary. The unit being measured is the raw score generated from the test.
Time frame: 6 months
Patient satisfaction with speech
The Speech Handicap Index (SHI) is designed to evaluate an individual's speech function and corresponding psycho-social factors. This will be measured at baseline pre-treatment of tongue cancer, then post-operatively at one month, three months, six months and one year. Six months is the primary time point measurement, although measurements will also be obtained at these other time points, which will possibly be used for other outcome analysis which are neither primary nor secondary. The unit being measured is the mean score of the survey.
Time frame: 6 months
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