Therapeutic Interventions for Radiation-Induced Fibrosis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To review and evaluate treatments for radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) following head and neck cancer (HNC) therapy.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase.com, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library.
REVIEW METHODS
A systematic review was conducted on the management of HNC RIF using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Descriptive synthesis was conducted to summarize treatment efficacy.
RESULTS
After initial screening of 4078 titles and abstracts, 147 full-text articles were reviewed, with eight meeting inclusion criteria. Pharmacological interventions included pentoxifylline-tocopherol, pravastatin, amifostine, and topical superoxide dismutase (SOD). Pentoxifylline-tocopherol, pravastatin, and amifostine demonstrated variable fibrosis improvement rates across studies. In one uncontrolled trial, 83% of patients receiving pentoxifylline-tocopherol achieved ≥50% reduction in measured fibrotic surface area, and pravastatin reduced fibrosis thickness by ≥30% in 35.7% of patients. Procedural interventions included lipotransfer and microcurrent therapy, with lipotransfer associated with physical improvements in 97% of patients (n = 38) and microcurrent therapy enhancing cervical mobility in 92% of patients (n = 26).
CONCLUSION
Improvements in HNC fibrosis after current treatments ranged widely across studies; however, substantial heterogeneity in study design and outcome measurement limits definitive conclusions regarding…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 38 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Global, regional, and national burden of hepatitis B, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- A meta‐analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: Toward a unified anal cancer risk scale
- Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
- Exercise interventions in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Prognostic Significance of Carbonic Anhydrase IX Expression in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis
- Glucocorticoid Resistance: Is It a Requisite for Increased Cytokine Production in Depression? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.