title: Neck muscle atrophy and soft-tissue fibrosis after neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy for oral cancer.
abstract: Late complications of head and neck cancer survivors include neck muscle atrophy and soft-tissue fibrosis. We present an autopsy case of neck muscle atrophy and soft-tissue fibrosis (sternocleidomastoid, omohyoid, digastric, sternohyoid, sternothyroid, and platysma muscles) within the radiation field after modified radical neck dissection type I and postoperative radiotherapy for floor of mouth cancer. A 70-year-old man underwent primary tumor resection of the left floor of mouth, left marginal mandibulectomy, left modified radical neck dissection type I, and reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap. The patient received adjuvant radiotherapy. The dose to the primary tumor bed and involved neck nodes was 63 Gy in 35 fractions over 7 weeks. Areas of subclinical disease (left lower neck) received 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not administered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.; Department of Biomedicine & Drug Development, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jinu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Medical Course, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Seow
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Medical Course, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Eon
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Adjuvant; Atrophy; Autopsy; Fibrosis; Neck muscles; Radiotherapy