Background Radiation-related caries (RRC) is one of the most significant oral toxicities of head and neck radiotherapy (HNRT); however, the potential of radiation to directly cause harmful dentin and pulpal effects and impair response to caries progression is controversial. Material and Methods Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the reactions of the dentin-pulp complex in teeth affected by RRC. Patients and methods: Twenty-two carious teeth extracted from 22 head and neck cancer (HNC) patients were divided into control (conventional caries; n=11) and irradiated (RRC; n=11) groups and paired matched by dental homology, clinical patterns of caries progression following the Post-Radiation Dental Index (PRDI) and microscopic depth of carious invasion. Histopathological characteristics based on morphological hierarchy, cell populations of dental pulp, blood vessels, neural elements, extracellular matrix components, inflammation, patterns of carious invasion and reactionary dentin presence were evaluated by optical light microscopy and histomorphometry. Results Mean PRDI scores were 3.2 for the control group and 3.8 for the irradiated group. Dentin demineralization patterns were also similar between the groups and the mean depths of demineralization were 1,158.58µm and 1,056.89µm for the control and irradiated groups, respectively. Conclusions Pulp histopathological changes and dentin reaction patterns were similar between groups and varied according to the PRDI scores and carious lesions depth. Dentin and pulp reactions are highly preserved in RRC teeth. Key words: Cancer, radiotherapy, radiation-related caries, teeth, pulp.
BackgroundAcute toxicity is usually defined as adverse changes occurring immediately or a short time after the start of oncological treatment.Material and MethodsCross-sectional retrospective study performed with head and neck cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy from 2013 to 2016.ResultsTen (1.2%) patients developed SOMs during radiotherapy, most (80%) of which were men with a mean age of 59.5 years at diagnosis. SOMs mainly affected the floor of the mouth (60%) between the fourth and the sixth weeks of radiation therapy. All lesions were asymptomatic and spontaneously ruptured approximately 9 days after diagnosis.ConclusionsAlthough rare, SOMs may be regarded as an acute oral toxicity of head and neck radiotherapy. Key words:Superficial oral mucoceles; head and neck cancer; radiation toxicity, acute toxicity.
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