%0 Journal Article
%T Risk factors associated with the development of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in Head and Neck cancer patients in Ireland: A 10-year retrospective review.
%A Fitzgerald KT
%A Lyons C
%A England A
%A McEntee MF
%A Devine A
%A O'Donovan T
%A O'Sullivan E
%J Radiother Oncol
%V 196
%N 0
%D 2024 Jul 17
%M 38641259
%F 6.901
%R 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110286
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To assess osteoradionecrosis (ORN) incidence in a population of Irish Head and Neck cancer (HNC) patients, and assess precipitating factors that may contribute to ORN development to aid prevention.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Review of 1050 HNC patients attending the Dental Oncology Clinic, CUDSH between 2010 and 2021 identified 47 cases of ORN. Medical, dental and radiotherapy records of these forty-seven patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patient-, tumour-, and treatment-related variables were investigated in association with osteoradionecrosis development. Analysis conducted using SPSS, Pearson's Chi-square test (p < 0.05), and ordinal regression model.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>ORN incidence was 4.4 %. Median time from radiotherapy (RT) to ORN development was 9.5 months (range 1-98.5 months). ORN development within the mandibular surgical site was significant (p <.001), presenting at a higher Notani grade (p =.002), in mid-mandibular body region (p =.028), at radiation doses ≥ 60 Gy (p =.035), due to induced causes (p =.029), and without resolution (p =.019).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>This is the first retrospective study of ORN in HNC patients in Ireland over 10-year period. ORN incidence was extremely low (4.4%). As patients reported high smoking/alcohol use and poor dental attendance pre-diagnosis, this suggests intensive dental intervention pre/post-diagnosis contributed to low ORN rates. Mandibular surgery pre-RT increased risk of developing ORN at the surgical site. Therefore, we recommend future treatment planning should contour the surgical site, designating it an organ at risk (OAR), assigning a dose constraint, where oncologically possible, with emphasis on reducing the hot-spot to this region; findings reinforce importance of life-long expert dental care to reduce ORN incidence.