Observational studyBMC palliative care2025
Prevalence, patterns, and impact of myofascial pain in patients with head and neck cancer after cancer treatment - a single-center cross-sectional study in India.
Observational study in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
purposeHead and neck cancer is the seventh most prevalent cancer, with over 660,000 new cases and 325,000 annual fatalities, accounting for 30% of all cancer cases. Chronic cancer-related pain affects 15-75% of patients, with myofascial pain being especially common in those with head and neck cancers, ranging from 11.9 to 44.8%. Surgery and radiotherapy, the primary treatments for these cancers, contribute to myofascial pain development. Additionally, head and neck cancer patients face higher psychological distress, with rates up to 50%. This study estimates the prevalence, topography of the musculoskeletal group, and emotional impact of myofascial pain in terms of depression in patients three months post-treatment, emphasizing early diagnosis for improved quality of life.
methodsWe conducted a time-bound cross-sectional observational study using convenience sampling of 120 patients with head and neck cancer who were post-surgery or radiotherapy over a 12-month period from April 2023 to March 2024. Data were collected using structured proforma and validated tools. Descriptive statistics summarized continuous variables, and chi-square tests compared categorical variables. Pearson correlation measured linear relationships, while regression analysis estimated the relationship between pain and explanatory variables. A two-sided p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
resultsThe prevalence of myofascial pain was 68.3% (n = 82), though no statistically significant relationship was found between its occurrence and time since therapy (p > 0.05). The most affected muscle was sternocleidomastoid (55%), followed by masseter (29.2%), trapezius (25.8%), temporalis (15%), levator scapulae (8.3%), posterior cervical (5.8%), and splenius capitis (3.3%). Additionally, 75.8% (n = 91) of participants had depression on PHQ-9, with 85.4% (n = 70) with myofascial pain experiencing depressive symptoms. Pain score and depression in patients with myofascial pain were positively correlated with a value of 0.579 (p-value < 0.05).
conclusionMyofascial pain is common in patients with head and neck cancer post-treatment with a negative impact on emotional well-being. It primarily affects the muscles involved in the neck and shoulder movements. It is important to identify early and manage the complications to enhance quality of life. CLINICAL
trial registrationThe study is registered with the Clinical Trials Registry India and the assigned registration number for this study is CTRI/2023/03/050268 on 02/03/2023.
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