Oncologic safety of autologous fat grafting in head and neck cancer patients: A scoping review.

Relatively higher-quality human studies compared with other topics in this database, e.g. multiple RCTs or systematic reviews. This does not mean it is standard or approved care.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Background Autologous fat grafting (AFG) has become increasingly used in reconstructive surgery due to its accessibility, safety, and regenerative potential. In head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, however, concerns remain regarding its oncologic safety, particularly due to the presence of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), which may theoretically influence tumor recurrence. This scoping review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the safety of AFG in this unique patient population. Material and methods The review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched up to December 2024 using the terms "autologous fat grafting," "lipofilling," "head and neck cancer," and "oncologic safety." Eligible studies included clinical or experimental works reporting on AFG in HNC patients with oncologic outcome assessment. Exclusion criteria included purely aesthetic procedures and studies without relevance to oncologic safety. Data were extracted on study design, patient population, fat grafting technique, follow-up, and reported oncologic outcomes. Results Five key studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria: A multinational survey of surgeons (Fiedler et al., 2021), a retrospective cohort study of parotidectomy patients (Boschetti et al., 2023), a narrative review on craniofacial oncologic patients (Drochioi et al., 2019), a retrospective s

Evidence level

Relatively higher-quality human studies compared with other topics in this database, e.g. multiple RCTs or systematic reviews. This does not mean it is standard or approved care.

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