Optimising radiotherapy for dental rehabilitation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Optimising volumetric arc radiotherapy for dental rehabilitation in oropharynx cancer- A retrospective virtual planning study
IRAS ID
185329
Contact name
Ketan Shah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 9 days
Research summary
Squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx, treated with radiotherapy, are curable cancers. The anatomical complexity of the head and neck region meant that significant doses of radiation were applied to normal tissues in order to achieve these cure rates, resulting in some cases in devastating late dental effects such as osteoradionecrosis. The introduction of newer radiotherapy techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has allowed radiation oncologists and physicists to prioritise dose distribution regions to both areas of tumour and normal organs. There is limited published literature on limiting doses to the mandible and maxilla. Our hypothesis is previously delivered doses will be higher than 50-60Gy and replanning to limit doses will be possible using VMAT. We aim to show that tooth bearing regions of the mandible can be spared excessive doses of radiation without compromising tumour doses. We will use the CT data from patients who have already completed radiotherapy treatment to simulate a new plan, with predefined dose limiting structures in the mandible and maxilla, to test our hypothesis. Original archive data, which is an important part of the medical record, will not be altered. The results could be generalised to allow confident, prospective planning of dental reconstruction and implants in future oropharyngeal cancer patients worldwide.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0115
Date of REC Opinion
29 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion