title: Benefits of an intraoral stent in decreasing the irradiation dose to oral healthy tissue: dosimetric and clinical features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether an intraoral stent may decrease radiation dose to health tissues during intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and to evaluate the effect on mucositis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 33 patients with tongue or floor of the mouth cancer were retrospectively evaluated and divided into 2 groups: group 1 (with stent, n = 19) and group 2 (without stent, n = 14). Data were collected on dosimetric and mucositis outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean dose to the maxilla was significantly lower in group 1 (20.9 Gy) than in group 2 (35.8 Gy) (P = .05). The mean dose to the ipsilateral parotid was 35.0 Gy in group 1 vs 41.8 Gy in group 2 (P = .05). No difference was seen in the severity of mucositis between groups (P = .82). However, grade III mucositis was present in group 1 at 4 weeks after IMRT, 1 week after its occurrence in group 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A stent was effective in decreasing doses to healthy structures and delaying the emergence of mucositis.
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Rocha
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Verrone
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio Abreu
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Divaldo
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra das Dores
authors.initials: Ad
authors.lastname: Marcicano
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Cassio
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Assis Pellizzon
authors.affiliation: Statistics Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Santos
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Damascena
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: valoiscruz@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Graziella Chagas
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Jaguar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D052016:Mucositis / Q000209:etiology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000528:radiation effects; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011874:Radiometry; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy