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Head and Neck Cancers • Radiation Oncology
How do you manage dental extractions in a patient getting reirradiation to the mandibular area?
Any dental extraction of the mandible could lead to healing problems and thus delaying reirradiation.
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Taking into account the poor prognosis of re-irradiated HNC (for example, Ward MC et al, Oral oncology 2019, reported in a recent 9-institution study of more than 500 patients, cancer progression or death in 64% after re-irradiation), teeth/mandibular damage risk is a moot issue. If cancer is ...
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Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
I agree with @Avraham Eisbruch. What do you think the long term survival of your patient is? If you truly believe you can cure this patient with re-RT, I would push for dental extractions pre-RT, especially if the prior mandible dose <60Gy and you have an experienced oral surgeon involved in the ...