Head and Neck Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
head and neck neoplasms, Radiotherapy, Exercise, Physiotherapy, Lymphedema
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of exercise on individuals with head and neck cancer who are receiving postoperative radiotherapy. The study is based on three primary hypotheses: 1. Exercise may help reduce or prevent the loss of normal range of motion that can occur during radiotherapy. 2. Exercise may help maintain muscle strength or lead to improvements in muscle strength. 3. Exercise may help maintain or improve postural alignment.
Interventions
PROCEDUREHome-based exercise
The home-based rehabilitation approach was conducted for the patients, consisting of neck and upper extremity mobilization, strengthening, stretching, and breathing exercises, 5 days a week.
Sponsors
Burak Ertürk
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Masking description
This was an open-label study. Outcome assessments and interventions were performed by the same researcher. Statistical analysis was conducted by an independent biostatistician.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. * Undergoing unilateral neck dissection surgery. * Scheduled to receive curative radiotherapy. * Age 18 years or older. * Willingness to participate and ability to comprehend exercise instructions.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of distant metastasis. * Presence of a tracheostomy. * History of previous trauma or surgery involving the shoulder or cervical region. * Neurological disorders affecting upper quadrant function. Recurrence of disease during the study period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Range of Motion | Baseline and Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Range of motion of the cervical region will be assessed using a cervical range of motion (CROM) device, and shoulder range of motion will be assessed using a goniometer, including flexion, extension, lateral flexion, rotation, abduction, and external rotation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle Strength | Baseline and Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Muscle strength of the cervical and shoulder girdle muscles will be evaluated using manual muscle testing. |
| Postural Alignment | Baseline and Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Postural alignment will be assessed through observational postural analysis focusing on head, neck, and shoulder alignment. |
| Fibrosis Severity | Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Radiation-induced fibrosis will be evaluated using a standardized clinical fibrosis grading scale. |
| Lymphedema | Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Head and neck lymphedema will be assessed using circumferential measurements and/or clinical lymphedema grading. |
| Swallowing Function | Baseline and Day 25 (end of radiotherapy) | Swallowing function will be evaluated using a validated swallowing assessment scale (Swal-QoL). |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed