Prehabilitation Protocol for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Aim 2 Inclusion Criteria: Implement prehabilitation prescription protocol and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the prehabilitation prescription protocol in a sample of HNC patients.

• Age 18 to 80 years old
• Patients with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma originating in the head and neck (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and nasopharynx).
• Stage I-III or de novo Stage IV
• Patients with a plan for radiation therapy (RT) / chemoradiation therapy (CRT) at SCCC* - *Patients who underwent surgery for the HNC are still eligible.
• If this is a second primary squamous cell carcinoma originating in the head and neck, a patient is eligible if the last RT or CRT was completed more than 6 months ago.
• Clearance for exercise by the medical team.
• Patients who do not have their first treatment scheduled within 7 days at the time of recruitment.
• An English or Spanish speaker.

Aim 2 Exclusion Criteria:

• A patient who cannot complete the baseline assessment and/or start prehabilitation by the initiation of RT/CRT.
• Any contraindication for diet change or exercising as determined by a physician.
• A patient who is not an English or Spanish speaker.
• History of dementia or major psychiatric disease which would interfere with study.
• History of recent (≤1 yr) stroke, myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) equal to or higher than 2.