The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors

Head and neck cancer is the fastest accelerating cancer. Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat head and neck cancer. Whilst radiotherapy is an effective treatment modality for head and neck cancer, it is associated with significant early and late side effects which impact on the quality of life of...

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Main Authors: Jaymit Patel, Mehmet Sen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Advances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667147625000019
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author Jaymit Patel
Mehmet Sen
author_facet Jaymit Patel
Mehmet Sen
author_sort Jaymit Patel
collection DOAJ
description Head and neck cancer is the fastest accelerating cancer. Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat head and neck cancer. Whilst radiotherapy is an effective treatment modality for head and neck cancer, it is associated with significant early and late side effects which impact on the quality of life of patients. The late side effects of radiotherapy (depending on the volume and dose) may cause irreversible problems such as dysphagia, xerostomia, dental decay, and osteoradionecrosis.We performed a retrospective analysis of head and neck cancer cases treated with radiotherapy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, UK. The aim of this process was to perform an exploratory analysis into the potential risk factors for osteoradionecrosis, focussing on risk factors that would be identifiable at a pre-radiotherapy dental screening appointments. This methodology was not utilised to determine statistically significant correlations, but to inform future studies which may involve regression analysis, and subsequent risk prediction.Our study confirms findings from previous studies suggesting that variables such as the timing of pre-radiotherapy extractions, the number of pre-radiotherapy extractions, and the smoking status of the patient may increase the risk of osteoradionecrosis. We found new potential risk factors which require further investigation, including the presence of dental pathology on the pre-treatment PET-CT. This novel finding may provide further indication of the patient specific risk for osteoradionecrosis.
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spelling doaj-art-c4de9496206042feba99dde5dcaae5a72025-01-16T04:29:23ZengElsevierAdvances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery2667-14762025-03-0117100514The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factorsJaymit Patel0Mehmet Sen1Corresponding author. Restorative Dentistry, Leeds Dental Institute, Worsley Building, Leeds, LS2 9LU, United Kingdom.; Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds, United KingdomLeeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds, United KingdomHead and neck cancer is the fastest accelerating cancer. Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat head and neck cancer. Whilst radiotherapy is an effective treatment modality for head and neck cancer, it is associated with significant early and late side effects which impact on the quality of life of patients. The late side effects of radiotherapy (depending on the volume and dose) may cause irreversible problems such as dysphagia, xerostomia, dental decay, and osteoradionecrosis.We performed a retrospective analysis of head and neck cancer cases treated with radiotherapy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, UK. The aim of this process was to perform an exploratory analysis into the potential risk factors for osteoradionecrosis, focussing on risk factors that would be identifiable at a pre-radiotherapy dental screening appointments. This methodology was not utilised to determine statistically significant correlations, but to inform future studies which may involve regression analysis, and subsequent risk prediction.Our study confirms findings from previous studies suggesting that variables such as the timing of pre-radiotherapy extractions, the number of pre-radiotherapy extractions, and the smoking status of the patient may increase the risk of osteoradionecrosis. We found new potential risk factors which require further investigation, including the presence of dental pathology on the pre-treatment PET-CT. This novel finding may provide further indication of the patient specific risk for osteoradionecrosis.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667147625000019RadiotherapyOsteoradionecrosisRestorative dentistryDental extractions
spellingShingle Jaymit Patel
Mehmet Sen
The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
Advances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Radiotherapy
Osteoradionecrosis
Restorative dentistry
Dental extractions
title The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
title_full The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
title_fullStr The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
title_full_unstemmed The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
title_short The association between head and neck radiotherapy, and osteoradionecrosis: A retrospective analysis of risk factors
title_sort association between head and neck radiotherapy and osteoradionecrosis a retrospective analysis of risk factors
topic Radiotherapy
Osteoradionecrosis
Restorative dentistry
Dental extractions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667147625000019
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