title: Opportunistic actinomycosis in osteoradionecrosis of the jaws in patients affected by head and neck cancer: incidence and clinical significance.
abstract: Actinomycosis is occasionally an opportunistic infection occurrence in patients with osteoradionecrosis (ORN). A retrospective study (1992-97) of 50 patients with ORN of the jaws was done to evaluate the incidence and its clinical significance in the management of ORN. Actinomycosis was diagnosed in 12% of ORN cases. In 36 of the 50 patients including five cases of actinomycosis, the ORN was considered to be resolved after treatment. The median treatment duration of ORN was significantly longer (P<0.007) in patients with actinomycosis (29.7 months) than those without the disease (13.4 months). In conclusion, bone biopsy should be considered in cases of ORN with unsatisfactory response to its specific therapies, aiming to identify possible opportunistic actinomycosis infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatologia, Centro de Tratamento e Pesquisa Hospital do Câncer A.C. Camargo, Rua Professor Antonio Prudente, 211, 01509-900 Liberdade, São Paulo, Brazil. mmcuri@zipmail.com.br
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Dib
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangini
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010025:Osteoradionecrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies