ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S1445

Clinical - Head & neck

ESTRO 2024

Clinical markers of altered body image were: functional symptoms (p=0.018), mirror avoidance, feeling less attractive, camouflage attitude, lack of optimism and desire for body image treatment (p<10-3 respectively), social avoidance (p=0.001), lack of self-confidence and the feeling of being a victim of mutilating treatment (p=0.001 respectively), the feeling of being depressed (p=0.003), the feeling of discomfort with the partner (p=0.012) and the absence of a supportive family (p=0.023). However, the correlation was negative for the other factors.

Conclusion:

Several clinical markers could predict body image alteration in patients with HNC. Given the current lack of a specific body image assessment scale for patients with HNC, these clinical markers could be proposed as items for establishing a specific scale for this category of patients to improve their screening and subsequent management.

Keywords: body image

3069

Digital Poster

Prevention of osteoradionecrosis in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy.

Amara Naseer 1 , Sinead Brennan 2,1 , Denise MacCarthy 3 , Eleanor O'Sullivan 4 , John Edward O'Connell 5 , Michelle M Leech 1 1 Trinity College Dublin, Radiation Therapy, Dublin, Ireland. 2 St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, Radiation Therapy, Dublin, Ireland. 3 Dublin Dental University Hospital, Dental Science, Dublin, Ireland. 4 University College Cork, ENTO Research Unit, Cork, Ireland. 5 St. James's Hospital, Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Dublin, Ireland

Purpose/Objective:

Globally, head and neck cancer (HNC) is the 7th most common cancer with more than 660,000 new cases and 325,000 deaths annually. There has been a continuous increase in HNC with a predicted increase of 30% per annum by 2030. Radiation therapy (RT) is a treatment modality used for HNC and osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a long-term, serious side-effect of head and neck radiotherapy. ORN is a morbid and costly complication of RT in patients with HNC. Conservative management of ORN is reported to cost US$4000 to $35,000 with some estimates up to US$74,000 per patient. The aim of this study was to develop international consensus guidelines for the prevention of ORN in patients with HNC receiving RT as part of their management. It included a multidisciplinary team of international professionals involved in the care of patients with HNC cancer. Former patients with HNC/carers were involved in this research to gain their input related to knowledge about ORN and pre- and post-RT oral health care and assessment.

Material/Methods: