ArticleCancers2026
Longitudinal Evaluation of Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Stiffness and Self-Reported Fibrosis-Related Symptoms After Radiotherapy in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.
Article in Cancers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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7 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesPost-radiation fibrosis is a common complication in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), characterised by increased tissue stiffness and functional limitations. Shear wave elastography (SWE) enables objective assessment of tissue stiffness, while self-reported outcome measures provide insight into symptom burden. However, the longitudinal evolution of these outcomes and their relationship remains insufficiently described. This study aimed to characterise post-radiation fibrosis over time using objective SWE measurements of sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle stiffness and self-reported fibrosis-related symptoms, and to examine their longitudinal association.
methodsThis prospective longitudinal study included 56 patients with HNC undergoing primary or postoperative (chemo)radiotherapy. Muscle stiffness was measured using SWE, and fibrosis-related symptoms were assessed with the Lymphoedema Symptom Intensity and Distress Survey-Head and Neck (LSIDS-H&N) at 1 week, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the start of radiotherapy. Longitudinal analyses were performed using mixed-effects models adjusted for surgery and radiation dose, and within-subject associations were evaluated using repeated measures correlation.
resultsMuscle stiffness increased over time, with estimated mean stiffness values rising from 4.12 m/s at baseline to 4.76 m/s at 6 months and 4.92 m/s at 12 months. Significant increases were observed at 6 months (
conclusionsMuscle stiffness measured with SWE increased over time following radiotherapy, whereas self-reported fibrosis-related symptoms remained stable. No significant longitudinal association was found between these outcomes, suggesting they may capture different aspects of fibrosis.
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