Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

<h4>Background</h4>Abnormal speech function caused by radiotherapy will affect the normal communication of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) and even interrupt their social life. Rehabilitation Training is widely used to improve articulatory abnormalities in patients with HNC. How...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mengqin Zhao, Jiaying Yao, Junhui Wang, Xinyi Shen, Tingting Liu, Limin Pu, Ying Li, Xiaomin Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318577
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850265653700722688
author Mengqin Zhao
Jiaying Yao
Junhui Wang
Xinyi Shen
Tingting Liu
Limin Pu
Ying Li
Xiaomin Chen
author_facet Mengqin Zhao
Jiaying Yao
Junhui Wang
Xinyi Shen
Tingting Liu
Limin Pu
Ying Li
Xiaomin Chen
author_sort Mengqin Zhao
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Abnormal speech function caused by radiotherapy will affect the normal communication of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) and even interrupt their social life. Rehabilitation Training is widely used to improve articulatory abnormalities in patients with HNC. However, the effectiveness of these rehabilitation measures in restoring the voice function of HNC patients is still unknown.<h4>Objective</h4>This study aimed to systematically examine the effects of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related voice function and quality of life in patients with HNC.<h4>Methods</h4>The databases PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, Wan Fang, and SinoMed were searched for studies published from inception through October 2024. Randomized controlled trials of rehabilitation training to improve voice function abnormalities associated with radiotherapy for HNC were included, and two investigators independently performed the literature review. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software to determine statistical heterogeneity based on P-values and I2 values.<h4>Results</h4>13 randomized controlled trials involving 710 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that rehabilitation training significantly affected the patients' maximum phonation time(MD=1.53, 95%CI=[0.83, 2.23], P<0.0001, Grade Moderate), smoothed cepstral peak prominence(MD=-0.59, 95%CI=[-0.89, -0.29], P=0.0001, Grade Moderate), social communication abilities(MD=-2.60, 95%CI=[-5.14, -0.07], P=0.04, Grade Moderate), and quality of life(MD=8.49, 95%CI=[3.06, 13.92], P=0.002, Grade Moderate).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Rehabilitation training is an effective approach for ameliorating abnormal voice functions after radiotherapy for HNC. However, there is no consensus on the optimal frequency, periodicity, and follow-up of interventions for rehabilitation training. More studies are still required to determine the optimal intervention effect for ameliorating speech function abnormalities in patients with HNC after radiotherapy.
format Article
id doaj-art-7d28240d838d4f6e8d9ec5dc92f8cd3d
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-7d28240d838d4f6e8d9ec5dc92f8cd3d2025-08-20T01:54:21ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01203e031857710.1371/journal.pone.0318577Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Mengqin ZhaoJiaying YaoJunhui WangXinyi ShenTingting LiuLimin PuYing LiXiaomin Chen<h4>Background</h4>Abnormal speech function caused by radiotherapy will affect the normal communication of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) and even interrupt their social life. Rehabilitation Training is widely used to improve articulatory abnormalities in patients with HNC. However, the effectiveness of these rehabilitation measures in restoring the voice function of HNC patients is still unknown.<h4>Objective</h4>This study aimed to systematically examine the effects of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related voice function and quality of life in patients with HNC.<h4>Methods</h4>The databases PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, Wan Fang, and SinoMed were searched for studies published from inception through October 2024. Randomized controlled trials of rehabilitation training to improve voice function abnormalities associated with radiotherapy for HNC were included, and two investigators independently performed the literature review. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software to determine statistical heterogeneity based on P-values and I2 values.<h4>Results</h4>13 randomized controlled trials involving 710 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that rehabilitation training significantly affected the patients' maximum phonation time(MD=1.53, 95%CI=[0.83, 2.23], P<0.0001, Grade Moderate), smoothed cepstral peak prominence(MD=-0.59, 95%CI=[-0.89, -0.29], P=0.0001, Grade Moderate), social communication abilities(MD=-2.60, 95%CI=[-5.14, -0.07], P=0.04, Grade Moderate), and quality of life(MD=8.49, 95%CI=[3.06, 13.92], P=0.002, Grade Moderate).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Rehabilitation training is an effective approach for ameliorating abnormal voice functions after radiotherapy for HNC. However, there is no consensus on the optimal frequency, periodicity, and follow-up of interventions for rehabilitation training. More studies are still required to determine the optimal intervention effect for ameliorating speech function abnormalities in patients with HNC after radiotherapy.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318577
spellingShingle Mengqin Zhao
Jiaying Yao
Junhui Wang
Xinyi Shen
Tingting Liu
Limin Pu
Ying Li
Xiaomin Chen
Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
PLoS ONE
title Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_full Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_fullStr Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_short Effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy-related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_sort effectiveness of rehabilitation training on radiotherapy related abnormalities of voice function in head and neck cancer patients a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318577
work_keys_str_mv AT mengqinzhao effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT jiayingyao effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT junhuiwang effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT xinyishen effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT tingtingliu effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT liminpu effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT yingli effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT xiaominchen effectivenessofrehabilitationtrainingonradiotherapyrelatedabnormalitiesofvoicefunctioninheadandneckcancerpatientsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis