Postural Changes Caused by Antineoplastic Treatment for Head and Neck Neoplasms

Background: Loss or reduction of muscle function in the cervical and scapular region, causing mobility limits, trismus, and postural abnormalities, are a common musculoskeletal change reported in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors, with limited information in the scientific literature. Aim: This study aims to describe the patients’ overall posture after antineoplastic treatment and verify possible musculoskeletal complications as well as general body posture and its association with temporomandibular disorder (TMD)/orofacial pain (OFP) and quality of life. Methods: The study included patients suffering from head and neck cancer (HNC) after antineoplastic therapy. The following variables were evaluated: body posture photogrammetry, signs and symptoms of TMD and OFP, trismus, and overall quality of life. Results: The study included 60 individuals diagnosed with HNC. Photogrammetry evaluation showed significant differences for shoulder asymmetry (p=0.02), changes between the pelvic waist and knee joint (p=0.04), and changes in the cervical spine (p=0.01). For the variables related to TMD and OFP, were found pain in the masseter muscle, presence of “cracking sound” in the temporomandibular joint, difficulty and limitation for mouth opening, with and without pain, trismus, difficulty for speaking or chewing, and pain surrounding the ears and temples. For quality of life, there were differences for the following dimensions: functional capacity, physical aspects, limitation and pain. Conclusions: Postural evaluation has shown that antineoplastic treatment causes musculoskeletal disorders which alter normal posture, not only in regions directly affected by treatment, but also in several areas of the body, thereby negatively impacting the quality of life.