Prevalence of tooth agenesis in young cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Childhood cancer survivors report many health issues related not only to the disease itself but also to posttreatment complications. Dental problems in these patients are irreversible, as they mostly concern the permanent dentition. This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed at determining the prevalence of hypodontia in cancer survivors. The research strategy was implemented using multiple databases, such as PubMed®, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. The literature search was performed on February 21, 2023. A total of 576 articles were screened. Of those, 72 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 31 articles were ultimately selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of tooth agenesis in pediatric cancer patients was found to be 22% (random effects model; 95% confidence interval (CI): 14-25%, p < 0.001). Pooled analyses of 15 unadjusted relative risk estimates demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of tooth agenesis in cancer patients compared to healthy individuals (unadjusted odds ratio (OR): 3.12; 95% CI: 2.01-4.83; p < 0.00001). Factors reported in the literature as contributing to the incidence of hypodontia include younger age at diagnosis, the utilization of multiple cytostatic drugs, high-dose radiotherapy (RTX), hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and the presence of other dental abnormalities. Patients who underwent cancer therapy during childhood are more prone to hypodontia.