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Neurological Rehabilitation

Head and Neck Cancer Survivor Reported Benefits of Onabotulinum Toxin Injections for Neck Muscle Spasms

Thursday, November 16, 2023

    Primary Author(s)

  • Jack B. Fu, MD

    Professor
    UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas

    • Co-Author(s)

  • RM

    Radhika Manne, MD

    Assistant Professor
    University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of initial injection of Onabotulinum toxin injection in head and neck cancer survivors with muscle spasms

Design: Retrospective review

Setting: National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center

Participants: 41 head and neck cancer survivors who received Onabotulinum toxin injections evaluated by physiatry from 1/1/2020 – 10/31/2022 for neck spasms.

Interventions: Onabotulinum toxin injections into spastic neck muscles

Main Outcome Measures: Patient reported improvement in neck muscle spasms and pain.

Results: 91 patients were referred and evaluated by cancer physiatry for neck/shoulder pain. Of those 41 described muscle spasms during their initial clinic consultation. 33/41 and 7/16 of patients who had neck muscle spasms and those who did not respectively were offered onabotulinum toxin injection. 19/33 and 5/7 received onabotulinum toxin injection. 24/25 patients voice improvement in muscle spasms at 3 week post-injection telephone follow-up.

Conclusions: The results of this retrospective review suggest onabotulinum toxin injections for head and neck cancer related muscle spasm are beneficial. Future prospective randomized control trials using botulinum toxin are needed in this population.