title: Bevacizumab-related osteonecrosis of the mandible is a self-limiting disease process.
abstract: A female patient with non-small-cell lung cancer presented with a huge area of exposed bone in the mandible following spontaneous teeth loss. She was receiving multimodal chemotherapy containing bevacizumab. No previous treatment with bisphosphonates or comorbid conditions was reported. Pain medications and infection control were offered to the patient who was closely followed up. Initial imaging and histology of bone and surrounding mucosa (8 weeks after bevacizumab cessation) confirmed the clinical suspicion of avascular osteonecrosis of the mandible. Subsequent imaging and histology of bone and gingiva (12 weeks after bevacizumab cessation) revealed the initial sequestration of the mandible with a marked expansion of the mucosal vascular network. Spontaneous bone sequestration eventually occurred few months later, followed by stable and painless mucosal coverage of the mandibular bone. The patient remained disease-free up to 3 years of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bettini
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blandamura
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saia
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bedogni
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016388:Tooth Loss
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab