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Oral health was linked to overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in a pooled analysis of 4 studies. Results from this analysis were reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“We found that head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients with more than 10 natural teeth had better survival compared with those with no teeth, while those with a history of more than 5 dental visits during the past 10 years had better survival compared with those with no dental visits,” the researchers conducting the analysis wrote in their report.
The analysis involved data pooled from 4 studies conducted by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium that involved patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In their analysis, the research team evaluated patient information on periodontal disease, the frequency of tooth brushing, use of mouthwash, numbers of natural teeth present, and history of dental visits during the 10 years prior to the cancer diagnosis. These data were evaluated using models adjusted for various demographic and clinical factors to determine associations between oral health and OS.
The pool analysis included 2449 patients, mean age 59.8 years. The median follow-up after diagnosis was 4.2 years. Approximately two-thirds, or 65%, of patients had a diagnosis of stage III or IV cancer, and treatments they received were varied.
The researchers identified some factors related to oral health that associated with OS. Having 20 or more remaining natural teeth was associated with better OS, with an estimated risk ratio (RR) of 0.88 (95% CI, 0.78-0.99), compared with having no natural teeth. Having 10 to 19 remaining natural teeth was also associated with better OS (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95), compared with having no natural teeth.
Having more than 5 dental visits during the decade prior to diagnosis was also associated with better OS (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66-0.91), in comparison with having no dental visits during this time. Associations between better OS and the presence of more natural teeth or the number of dental visits varied across subtypes of HNSCC.
“These results emphasize the role of oral health maintenance not only to avoid treatment-related adverse outcomes like osteoradionecrosis but also as a potentially independent prognostic parameter for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients,” the researchers concluded in their report, also noting a need for further prospective research on the subject.
Disclosures: Some authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures.
Reference
Tasoulas J, Farquhar DR, Sheth S, et al. Poor oral health influences head and neck cancer patient survival: an International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium pooled analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst. Published online September 19, 2023. doi:10.1093/jnci/djad156
