Acute and late side effects to salivary glands and oral mucosa after head and neck radiotherapy in children and adolescents. Results of the "Registry for the evaluation of side effects after radiotherapy in childhood and adolescence".
BACKGROUND
The registry for the evaluation of side effects after radiotherapy in childhood and adolescence (RiSK) was established to prospectively characterize radiation-associated side effects. The purpose of this analysis was to characterize side effects after radiotherapy to the head and neck in children and adolescents.


METHODS
Radiation doses have been collected across Germany since 2001. Acute and late side effects were characterized.


RESULTS
Until January 2010, 133 patients (median age, 12.7 years) were recruited who had received radiotherapy to the salivary glands. Toxicity evaluation was available for 114 patients (median follow-up, 2.9 years). Acute and late toxicity significantly depended on the maximum radiation dose to the salivary glands. An increase of the mean value of maximum dose of 1 Gray (Gy) to the submandibular glands resulted in an odds ratio of 1.04 (range, 1.00-1.08; p = .039) for acute toxicities of the salivary glands and 1.08 (range, 1.03-1.13; p = .001) for acute mucosal toxicities.


CONCLUSIONS
These data can be used for an individual risk assessment in pediatric head and neck radiotherapy.
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.|Center for Radiotherapy Rheine/Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.
Tobias
T
Bölling
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Julia
J
Weege
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Hans Theodor
HT
Eich
Western German Proton Therapy Center, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany.|Center for Proton Radiation Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland.
Beate
B
Timmermann
Department of Radiotherapy, Clinic Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
Frank-Michal
FM
Meyer
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Homburg/Saar, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
Christian
C
Rübe
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Rolf-Dieter
RD
Kortmann
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Karin
K
Fischedick
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
Claus
C
Rödel
Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research (IBKF), University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Raphael
R
Koch
Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Normann
N
Willich
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
adolescence; childhood; head and neck; radiation; salivary gland