The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in head and neck cancer patients with radiation induced dysphagia—a systematic review

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients with dysphagia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Method: A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant studies until March 14, 2023. No restriction on language or publication date. The criteria for inclusion: patients with HNC who had received both radiation therapy and HBOT as 1) a preventive treatment against swallowing difficulties, 2) to preserve swallowing function, or 3) to promote swallowing difficulties. Results: We identified 1396 records. After removal of 31 duplicates, 1365 records were accessible for title and abstract screening. This yielded 53 studies for full text assessment. Six studies met the eligibility criteria and were included for qualitative analysis. Conclusion: Evidence of HBOT benefits in patients with dysphagia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer is inconsistent. Well-designed studies using validated outcome measures and long-term follow-up are warranted.