Oral and dental late effects in long-term survivors of childhood embryonal brain tumors

Abstract

Purpose To investigate oral and dental late effects in survivors of childhood brain tumors medulloblastoma (MB) and central nervous system supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (CNS-PNET). Methods This cross-sectional study assessed oral and dental late effects in MB/CNS-PNET survivors treated before 20 years of age, and with a minimum of 2 years since treatment. Participants went through an oral and radiographic examination. We assessed oral status using the decayed-missing-filled index (DMFT), oral dryness, maximum mouth opening (MMO), fungal infection, and registration of dental developmental disturbances (DDD) in the form of hypodontia, microdontia, and enamel hypoplasia. Results The 46 participants’ mean age at enrolment was 27 ± 12.8 years and at treatment 8.5 ± 5.2 years, and the mean time since treatment was 18.9 ± 12 years. Over a third (35%) of survivors had reduced mouth opening (mean 29.3 ± 5.6 mm (range 16–35)). A significantly lower MMO was found in individuals treated ≤ 5 years compared to survivors treated > 5 years (p = 0.021). One or more DDD were registered in 30.4% of the survivors, with a significantly higher prevalence in individuals treated ≤ 5 years (p < 0.001). Hypodontia was the most prevalent type of DDD. There was no difference in DMFT score in relation to age at treatment. Oral dryness was not frequently reported or observed in these survivors. Conclusion Survivors of childhood MB/CNS-PNET are at risk of oral and dental late effects including reduced mouth opening and DDD. The risk is highest in survivors treated before the age of 5.

Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Long-Term Adverse Effects on Oral Health of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Regarding the type of study, 15 were cohort studies [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ], 13 case–control studies [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ], and 7 cross-sectional studies [ 3 , 4 , 15 , 16 , 25 , 46 , 47 ].…”

“…Several points were considered in the case definition setting. Some studies addressed multiple topics: 24 assessed caries incidence [ 4 , 15 , 17 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], 18 assessed dental abnormalities such as root stunting and microdontia [ 4 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], and 15 stressed the developmental defects of enamel [ 16 , 17 , 21 , 23 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 36 , 40 , 41 ,…”

Dental management of long-term childhood cancer survivors: a systematic review

“…However, the percentage of the latter was low. Previous studies have shown that dental development defects, including microdontia, oligodontia, hypodontia, enamel defects, and root malformations, can occur in CCS (Kilinc et al 2019;Tanem et al 2022;Halperson et al 2022;Seremidi et al 2023). The prevalence of these defects may depend on the type of cancer and the treatment received.…”