Oral health-related quality of life in Brazilian children, adolescents, and young adults undergoing cancer treatment

Carmela R Bresolin; Luiz F Palma; Rafael V Serrano; Cristina Toline; Simone Tuchtenhagen; Thiago M Ardenghi; Juliana R Praetzel

doi:10.4103/njms.njms_134_22

Oral health-related quality of life in Brazilian children, adolescents, and young adults undergoing cancer treatment

Natl J Maxillofac Surg. 2023 Sep-Dec;14(3):383-387. doi: 10.4103/njms.njms_134_22. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Authors

Carmela R Bresolin¹, Luiz F Palma², Rafael V Serrano³, Cristina Toline⁴, Simone Tuchtenhagen⁵, Thiago M Ardenghi⁶, Juliana R Praetzel⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Dentistry, Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Department of Pathology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Graduate Dentistry Program, Ibirapuera University, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Division of Oral Radiology, Faculdade São Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁶ Department of Stomatology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is considered a major public health problem worldwide and may have an important impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Thus, the present study aimed to assess OHRQoL in Brazilian patients aged 3 to 21 years undergoing cancer treatment.

Materials and methods: In total, 121 patients receiving cancer treatment and 363 healthy individuals (control group) were evaluated. OHRQoL was assessed using an age-specific questionnaire, that is, the Brazilian versions of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS), the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ) 11-14-short version, the CPQ 8-10-short version, and the short-form of Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire-14 (OHIP-14).

Results: Individuals from the control group who were evaluated by the ECOHIS presented more impact on the OHRQoL regarding the psychological and family function score, as well as those evaluated by CPQ 8-10, who presented more impact in general. However, considering CPQ 11-14, cancer patients had their OHRQoL more affected, as shown in both the total questionnaire score and oral symptoms score.

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this Brazilian study, cancer treatment seems to be associated with decreased OHRQoL only in patients aged between 11 and 14 years. However, children without cancer aged between 8 and 10 years seem to experience worse OHRQoL.

Keywords: Adolescent; child; oral health; quality of life; young adults.