The Experience of Dental Extractions as a H&N Cancer Patient V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Experience of Dental Extractions as a Head and Neck Cancer Patient in the UK: An IPA Study
IRAS ID
262460
Contact name
Donna Louise Stewart
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London Metropolitan University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 0 days
Research summary
What is the experience of having dental extractions as a head and neck cancer patient?
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a collective term used to describe several different types of cancer.There are around 32 new cases of head and neck cancer diagnosed every day in the UK.
Treatment is typically a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy; most patients will receive radiotherapy. Moreover, patients must undergo a dental evaluation, and may undergo several tooth extractions before commencing treatment and will continue to need good dental care post treatment.
It can be that individuals are left without access to good dental care presenting new challenges to identity and perception. Losing teeth affects the shape and structure of the mouth and face and as well as the obvious loss to function possible impact to quality of life, sense of self and social interaction. The face is an important part of social communication and loss of teeth can impact the individual not just on a personal level, but can have an impact on a public level too.
To be eligible participants must have a primary diagnosis of cancer in the head and neck region and be over the age of 18 at the time of diagnosis. Patients must have undergone dental extractions and be starting radiotherapy treatment as at this time patients will be supported by the wider team and have access to psycho-oncological services. Participants will not be included if they are unable to read or speak English. Patients receiving palliative treatment or who have other exacerbating conditions will not be included.
Participants will be recruited from two UK London based radiotherapy departments and the study will be carried out between July and October 2019 whereby participants will be asked to volunteer for a 60 minute interview.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0552
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion