Head drop syndrome secondary to multimodality treatments for head and neck cancer |
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Authors: | Ian Smillie MRCSEd DOHNS David Ellul MRCS DOHNS Richard Townsley MRCSEd DOHNS Allan James MRCP Brian Clark MRCP FRCR Richard K. H. Petty FRCP Louise Clark FRCS |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow;2. Beatson Oncology Centre, Glasgow;3. Department of Neurology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom |
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Abstract: | Five patients under follow‐up for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at Southern General Hospital Glasgow presented with a fixed flexion deformity of the neck. These cases are characterized by the onset of severe weakness and atrophy of the neck extensor muscles and anterior fibrosis forcing the mandible to the chest wall. This causes considerable morbidity with communication, feeding, and appearance. This is a rare complication with no curative treatments that has not been reported previously by a UK center and is likely to become important with the increased use of multimodality treatments for head and neck SCC. |
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Keywords: | Chemotherapy complications head drop multimodality radiotherapy squamous cell carcinoma |
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