title: Head drop syndrome secondary to multimodality treatments for head and neck cancer.
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.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom. iansmillie@doctors.org.uk
authors: Ian
authors: I
authors: Smillie
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Ellul
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Townsley
authors: Allan
authors: A
authors: James
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Clark
authors: Richard K H
authors: RK
authors: Petty
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Clark
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000473:pathology*; D013577:Syndrome