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Compliance with fluoride custom trays in irradiated head and neck cancer patients

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess compliance with fluoride gel custom trays in irradiated head and neck cancer patients.

Methods and materials

One hundred fifty-five consecutive patients on remission following radiation therapy of head and neck cancers were assessed retrospectively for dental care practices prior to radiation and prospectively for long-term compliance with custom trays from November 2009 to January 2010. A five-item questionnaire was filled in by patients in the waiting room, and a 15-item questionnaire by the physician in charge during the corresponding follow-up visit.

Results

Ten percent of patients were edentulous at inclusion. Among dentate patients, 17% had total extractions. With a mean follow-up of 24 months, 19% of patients used custom trays for over a year. Primary stage, age, and tobacco consumption were correlated with compliance with custom trays. More than half of dentate patients developed carious lesions, and 8% had stage 1–3 osteoradionecrosis of the whole population of edentulous and dentate patients.

Conclusion

Compliance with custom trays was poor in this series. Specific postirradiation dental care follow-up visits and education have demonstrated their utility in the era of 2D irradiation. We currently advocate an 18-month compliance with custom trays in IMRT patients on the basis of the Parsport trial, after which we assess the quality of salivary recovery before recommending prolonged use or interruption. Data with innovative irradiation techniques are however required.

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Conflict of interest notification

The authors have no actual or potential conflicts of interest. The authors have no financial disclosure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology/Institut Universitaire de la Face et du Cou fo J thariat, Cancer Center Antoine-Lacassagne, University Nice Sophia-Antipolis, 33 Av. Valombrose, 06189, NICE Cedex 2, France

    Juliette Thariat

  2. DOSI Soft, 45/47, avenue Carnot, 94230, Cachan, France

    Liliane Ramus

  3. Inria Sophia Antipolis, Asclepios Research Project, 2004, route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902, Sophia Antipolis cedex, France

    Liliane Ramus

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology—Dentistry, Cancer Center Antoine-Lacassagne, University Nice Sophia-Antipolis, 33 Av. Valombrose, 06189, Nice Cedex 2, France

    Vincent Darcourt

  5. Department of Radiogy, Cancer Center Antoine-Lacassagne, University Nice Sophia-Antipolis, 33 Av. Valombrose, 06189, Nice Cedex 2, France

    Pierre-Yves Marcy

  6. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, CHU—Institut Universitaire de la tête et du cou, CHU. 33 Av. Valombrose, 06189, Nice Cedex 2, France

    N. Guevara, Guillaume Odin & Laurent Castillo

  7. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Center Antoine-Lacassagne, Institut Universitaire de la tête et du cou, CHU. 33 Av. Valombrose, 06189, Nice Cedex 2, France

    Gilles Poissonnet

  8. Department of Clinical Oncology, Sohag Faculty of Medicine, Nasser City, Sohag East, 82525, Egypt

    Ali Mohammed Ali

  9. Clinique ORL, Pôle TCCR-Unité Inserm UJF/U823, groupe 5/Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble, France

    Christian Righini

Authors
  1. Juliette Thariat
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  2. Liliane Ramus
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  3. Vincent Darcourt
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  4. Pierre-Yves Marcy
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  5. N. Guevara
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  6. Guillaume Odin
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  7. Gilles Poissonnet
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  8. Laurent Castillo
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  9. Ali Mohammed Ali
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  10. Christian Righini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juliette Thariat.

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Thariat, J., Ramus, L., Darcourt, V. et al. Compliance with fluoride custom trays in irradiated head and neck cancer patients. Support Care Cancer 20, 1811–1814 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1279-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1279-5

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