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RecruitingNCT07166575Updated Jul 21, 2026

Morphological Changes of Upper Trapezius Muscle After Physotherapy in Oral Cancer

An observational study in Oral Cancer, sponsored by National Taiwan University Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-21.

Sponsored by National Taiwan University Hospital · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2025; still recruiting 11 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
10
Ages
20 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

The study aims to evaluate the morphological changes of upper trapezius muscle, using B-mode ultrasonography, in patients with oral cancer undergone neck dissection and physiotherapy. It also investigates the relationship between morphological changes and shoulder active range of motion in abduction. Furthermore , the study assesses the potential of B-mode ultrasonography as an objective tool for monitoring outcomes of the rehabilitation in this population.

Read the detailed description

The study aims to investigate the effect of 8-week physiotherapy on morphological change of upper trapezius muscle in oral cancer patients who have undergone neck dissection. Key outcome measurements include the muscle's thickness and cross-sectional area (CSA), measured via B-mode ultrasonography, as well as the active range of motion (AROM) in shoulder abduction. Neck dissections may result in spinal accessory nerve (CN XI) injury, often leading to shoulder pain, upper trapezius weakness and impaired shoulder mobility. Therefore, understanding the relationship between muscle thickness, CSA, and AROM is important. The study's goal is to explore the correlation between muscle morphological changes and functional outcomes, and further evaluate the role of B-mode ultrasonography as a non-invasive tool in monitoring muscle morphology in shoulder rehabilitation progress with post-surgical oral cancer patients with shoulder dysfunction.

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Conditions studied

  • Oral Cancer

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Keywords

  • Ultrasonography
  • Upper Trapezius
  • Shoulder
  • Oral Cancer
03

In context

Mouth Neoplasms

377 studies on the registry are indexed under Mouth Neoplasms; 126 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 10 is below the median of 90 across 103 observational studies indexed under Mouth Neoplasms.

Browse Mouth Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

National Taiwan University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,563 studies on the registry; 569 are open to participants now.

Of its 11 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (18%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

A total of 10 newly diagnosed oral cancer patients who received neck dissection with scapular dyskinesis

Inclusion criteria

  • Newly diagnosed oral cancer patients with scapular dyskinesis, who have undergone neck dissections within 3 months
  • Able to cooperate with assessments and physical therapy, and capable of understanding and signing the informed consent form.
  • Age between 20 and 65 years.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable to effectively communicate.
  • Diagnosed with conditions affecting motor function.
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Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
8 Weeks
Patient registry
Yes

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testB-mode ultrasonography

    Thickness and cross-sectional area of upper trapezius muscle

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Cross-sectional area of upper trapezius muscle

    CSA of the upper trapezius muscle is measured via B-mode panoramic ultrasonography. Panoramic B-mode ultrasonography will be performed by placing the probe at the spinous process of the fourth cervical vertebra (C4) and moving it laterally toward the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, 8 weeks post-intervention

  2. Thickness of upper trapezius muscle

    Thickness of upper trapezius muscle is measured via B-mode ultrasonography. The ultrasound probe will be positioned at the midpoint between the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) and the acromion, aligned parallel to the muscle fibers.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, 8 weeks post-intervention

  3. Active range of motion in shoulder abduction

    AROM in shoulder abduction is measured by a goniometer, with the fulcrum positioned over the anterior aspect of the acromial process. The proximal arm is aligned parallel to the midline of the anterior aspect of the sternum, while the distal arm is aligned with the anterior midline of the humerus.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, 8 weeks post-intervention

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Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, Colledge of Medicine, National Taiwan University
    Taipei, 100, Taiwan
    Recruiting
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References and documents

Publications

  • Carenfelt C, Eliasson K. Occurrence, duration and prognosis of unexpected accessory nerve paresis in radical neck dissection. Acta Otolaryngol. 1980 Nov-Dec;90(5-6):470-3. doi: 10.3109/00016488009131750. PubMed 7211339 ↗
  • Warnakulasuriya S. Global epidemiology of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Oral Oncol. 2009 Apr-May;45(4-5):309-16. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.06.002. Epub 2008 Sep 18. PubMed 18804401 ↗
  • van Wilgen CP, Dijkstra PU, van der Laan BF, Plukker JT, Roodenburg JL. Shoulder complaints after neck dissection; is the spinal accessory nerve involved? Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2003 Feb;41(1):7-11. doi: 10.1016/s0266-4356(02)00288-7. PubMed 12576033 ↗
  • Adigozali H, Shadmehr A, Ebrahimi E, Rezasoltani A, Naderi F. Ultrasonography for the assessment of the upper trapezius properties in healthy females: a reliability study. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2016 May 19;6(1):167-72. doi: 10.11138/mltj/2016.6.1.167. eCollection 2016 Jan-Mar. PubMed 27331047 ↗
  • Valera-Calero JA, Gallego-Sendarrubias G, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Cleland JA, Ortega-Santiago R, Arias-Buria JL. Cross-sectional area of the cervical extensors assessed with panoramic ultrasound imaging: Preliminary data in healthy people. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020 Dec;50:102257. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2020.102257. Epub 2020 Sep 11. PubMed 32947195 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 21, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07166575
Lead sponsor
National Taiwan University Hospital
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 10, 2025
Start date
Oct 16, 2025
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 21, 2026

Study contacts

Yueh-Hsia Chen, PhD
Contact
yuehhsiachen@ntu.edu.tw
+886-2-33668133
Yueh-Hsia Chen, PhD
principal investigator · National Taiwan University, College of Medicine

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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