Head and neck cancers (HNCs) rank as the ninth most prevalent malignancy on a global scale. These cancers encompass various malignancies from different anatomical sites, including the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and paranasal sinuses. Despite significant advancements in treatment methodologies, HNCs continue to represent a critical public health challenge due to their high morbidity and mortality rates. Sarcopenia, characterized by a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and contraction capacity, has emerged as a critical factor influencing the prognosis of individuals diagnosed with HNC. The prevalence of sarcopenia among this patient population ranges from 35.5% to 54.5%. Sarcopenia is increasingly recognized for its association with greater treatment intolerance, reduced survival rates, and diminished quality of life in patients with HNC. Trismus, characterized by a restricted ability to open the mouth, frequently manifests as a long-term complication in patients undergoing treatment for HNC. This condition has the potential to trigger or exacerbate the nutritional and functional challenges associated with sarcopenia. Conversely, sarcopenia can also significantly contribute to the onset or worsening of trismus, primarily due to associated muscle loss and weakness. Sarcopenia and trismus likely have a reciprocal relationship, significantly influencing one another and impacting survival outcomes in patients with HNC. Hence, this review seeks to clarify the intricate relationships between sarcopenia and trismus, and how these conditions influence the survival outcomes of HNCs.

Keywords: Sarcopenia; Trismus; Survival; Head and Neck Cancer

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Citation

Citation: Efsun Somay., et al. “The Connection Between Sarcopenia and Trismus and Their Impact on Survival Outcomes in Curatively Treated Head and Neck Cancer Patients”.Acta Scientific Cancer Biology 9.1 (2025): 02-11.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Efsun Somay., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.