Head and neck cancer patients show poor oral health as compared to those with other types of cancer

Hiromi Nishi; Taiji Obayashi; Tsutomu Ueda; Kouji Ohta; Hideo Shigeishi; Syuichi Munenaga; Takashi Kono; Yukio Yoshioka; Masaru Konishi; Ryotaro Taga; Yuya Toigawa; Takako Naruse; Eri Ishida; Eri Tsuboi; Kanae Oda; Kana Dainobu; Tomoko Tokikazu; Kotaro Tanimoto; Naoya Kakimoto; Hiroki Ohge; Hidemi Kurihara; Hiroyuki Kawaguchi

doi:10.1186/s12903-023-03356-6

Head and neck cancer patients show poor oral health as compared to those with other types of cancer

BMC Oral Health. 2023 Sep 6;23(1):647. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-03356-6.

Authors

Hiromi Nishi¹, Taiji Obayashi², Tsutomu Ueda³, Kouji Ohta⁴, Hideo Shigeishi⁴, Syuichi Munenaga⁵, Takashi Kono³, Yukio Yoshioka⁶, Masaru Konishi⁷, Ryotaro Taga⁸, Yuya Toigawa⁸, Takako Naruse⁹, Eri Ishida¹⁰, Eri Tsuboi¹⁰, Kanae Oda¹⁰, Kana Dainobu¹¹, Tomoko Tokikazu¹¹, Kotaro Tanimoto¹⁰, Naoya Kakimoto¹², Hiroki Ohge¹³, Hidemi Kurihara¹⁴, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Dentistry, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan. hiyoko@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
² Department of Dental Hygiene, Ogaki Women's College, Gifu, Japan.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁴ Department of Public Oral Health, Program of Oral Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁵ Department of General Dentistry, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
⁶ Department of Molecular Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁷ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁸ Department of Program of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
¹⁰ Department of Orthodontics and Craniofacial Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
¹¹ Department of Clinical Practice and Support, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
¹² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
¹³ Department of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
¹⁴ Department of Periodontal Medicine, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.

Abstract

Purpose: Several studies have found associations between periodontitis and various types of cancer. Since the site of head and neck cancer (HNC) has contiguity or proximity to the oral cavity, it may be particularly influenced by oral inflammation. This study aimed to determine whether HNC patients have poor oral health as compared to those with other types of cancer.

Methods: This study retrospectively examined oral environmental factors including periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), a new periodontal inflammatory parameter. A total of 1030 cancer patients were divided into the HNC (n = 142) and other cancer (n = 888) groups. Furthermore, the HNC group was divided into high (n = 71) and low (n = 71) PISA subgroups, and independent risk factors affecting a high PISA value were investigated.

Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that number of missing teeth (odds ratio 1.72, 95% CI 1.15-2.56, P < 0.01), PISA (odds ratio 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.06, P < 0.05), and oral bacterial count (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03, P < 0.01) were independent factors related to HNC. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that current smoker (odds ratio 7.51, 95% CI 1.63-34.71, P < 0.01) and presence of untreated dental caries (odds ratio 3.33, 95% CI 1.23-9.00, P < 0.05) were independent risk factors affecting high PISA values in HNC patients.

Conclusion: HNC patients have higher levels of gingival inflammation and poor oral health as compared to patients with other types of cancer, indicating that prompt oral assessment and an effective oral hygiene management plan are needed at the time of HNC diagnosis.

Keywords: Head and neck cancer; Periodontal inflamed surface area.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Dental Caries* / complications
Dental Caries* / epidemiology
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / complications
Humans
Inflammation
Oral Health
Retrospective Studies