Terapias complementarias en el manejo integral del paciente con cáncer de cabeza y cuello: una revisión sistemática exploratoria

Abstract

The treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) involves challenges in survival, quality of life, and patients' entire biopsychosocial status. Cancer treatment, whether being surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy, includes short, medium, and long-term side effects. The dentist plays an important role in the different stages, from early diagnosis, restoration of dental health before treatment, as well as the management of sequelae, which involves continuous monitoring. However, effective management of pain, caused by HNC and the complications generated by chemotherapy and radiation therapy, remains difficult to achieve to regain the general health of the patient. Therefore, this review aims to explore the evidence for complementary therapies in the comprehensive treatment of patients with HNC. The PRISMA-ScR extension recommendations for exploratory reviews were followed, 4 databases were used in the search, controlled clinical trials, observational studies, and case reports were included, integrating the evidence from 15 articles (11 of acupuncture, 2 of yoga, and 2 of meditation) in which the effect of these complementary therapies on pain management, xerostomia, dysgeusia, anxiety, and depression in patients with HNC was studied. The treatments implemented, as well as the aforementioned results, were very heterogeneous, which prevents an adequate meta-analysis in the future. Although the synthesis suggests that these therapies can be a good tool in the comprehensive management of the patient with HNC, more evidence is required to make recommendations.