Pre-Radiation dental considerations and management for head and neck cancer patients

In 2016, there were over 48,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) resulting in over 9,500 deaths in the United States alone [1]. Approximately 90% of HNC are squamous cell carcinomas [2]. It is widely known that major risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, and use of smokeless tobacco products are associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) [3,4]. HNSCC has been known to have a high incidence of lymph node metastasis, with over two-thirds of patients presenting with regional lymph node involvement, and 10% presenting with distant metastases [5,6].

Source: Oral Oncology - December 5, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Kenneth Kufta, Michael Forman, Samuel Swisher-McClure, Thomas P. Sollecito, Neeraj Panchal Tags: Review Source Type: research