Correlation of bone age, dental age, and chronological age in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
BACKGROUND
There is little information about oncotherapy-related dental development in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare bone age (BA) and dental age (DA) to chronological age (CA) in childhood ALL survivors.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed hand-wrist and panoramic radiographs of patients treated on contemporary single institution protocols for ALL between 1991 and 2004. We recorded patient demographics, therapeutic protocol, CA, DA, and BA. The cohort was divided into three categories based on age at diagnosis (< 6 years, 6-9 years, > 9 years).


RESULTS
Of 73 patients, 39 (53.4%) were boys; 55 (75.3%) were Caucasian. Median CA at diagnosis was 4.5 years (range: 0.1-11.0 years); time to study was 4.1 years (range: 0.3-11.4 years). BA was normal in 61 (83.6%), delayed in 10 (13.7%), and advanced in 2 (2.7%). DA was normal in 41 (56.9%), delayed in 8 (11.1%), and advanced in 23 (31.9%). Abnormal BA, abnormal DA, and discrepancy between BA and DA are not statistically significantly associated with investigated patient or treatment factors.


CONCLUSIONS
DA may be altered in 43.1% of patients treated for ALL. A large prospective study is warranted to better define our observations and to determine their impact on dental and orthodontic management.
Martin
Mary Beth
MB
Department of Orthodontics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.
Li
Chin-Shang
CS
Rowland
Christopher C
CC
Howard
Scott C
SC
Kaste
Sue C
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents