engleski

Strategies for prevention and treatment of head and neck radiotherapy complications - our experiences

Oral complications of oral, head and neck cancer (OHNC) radiotherapy (RT) account for increased morbidity, mortality and treatment costs. RT induces reversible and irreversible changes of involved organs, as oral mucosa, salivary glands and jaws are commonly included in the radiotherapy field. In Croatia, 3D conformal RT of OHNC has started to emerge as a standard of care. Patients benefit from its ability to spare tissues surrounding the tumor, substantially contributing to salivary gland tissue preservation. Interdisciplinary team approach that would include oral medicine specialist would yield even better overall results, and would further diminish oral sequelae of OHNC treatment. Currently applied protocols in OHNC patients in Croatia rarely include standardized procedures that would assess and prepare patients' oral status for radiotherapy. Neither are patients under formal supervision of oral health care professional during radiotherapy. As a consequence, high rate of radiotherapy interruption and delay due to oral mucositis and long term oral complications are encountered. With a common goal to introduce prevention and treatment of oral complications as standardized practice in OHNC patients, we have created a protocol in accordance with internationally accepted clinical practice, based on the inclusion of dental professionals throughout the treatment and follow-up phases. Our aim is to improve oral health, compliance to RT, minimize short-term and minimize/prevent long term RT-associated oral complications, including mucositis, xerostomia, radiation caries, osteoradionecrosis and trismus. This paper describes our strategies and case-control series of patients included. Our efforts will have substantial clinical and economic impact on OHNC patients’ treatment.

prevention ; strategies ; radiotherapy complications

Sažetak predavanja će biti objavljen u tematskom broju časopisa Collegium Antropologicum koji je u pripremi.