Oromucosal Changes in Patients Receiving Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancers

Background: Head-and-neck cancers (HNCs) rank as the seventh malignancies on a global scale. Radiotherapy is a modality for treating these cancers, causing unwanted harmful effects on the surrounding tissues. Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the oromucosal changes during radiotherapy in HNC patients and correlate with radiation dosages. Materials and Methods: A total 90 HNC patients between 25 and 75 years of age, receiving radiotherapy were included. Two groups of patients were created depending on the radiation dosage, Group 1 ( n = 62; 50–60 Gray [Gy]) and Group 2 ( n = 28; 61–66 Gy). Pre, immediate, and 6-month postradiotherapy oromucosal changes such as oral mucositis (OM), dry mouth, trismus, oral candidiasis, viral infections, dental caries, altered speech, and mandibular dysfunction were recorded. The data collected were compared between intragroup and intergroup. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Chi-square test, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: All the clinical parameters assessed increased during the course of radiotherapy. Group 2 patients experienced statistically more OM lesions than Group 1 ( P = 0.0001). Dry mouth showed significant intragroup changes only in Group 1, and intergroup differences at 6-month postradiotherapy. Trismus showed intergroup difference at immediate postradiotherapy. The intragroup comparisons of other changes were statistically significant in both groups, but the intergroup comparisons were not significant. Conclusion: Patients receiving radiotherapy for HNCs experienced exacerbated oromucosal changes, and the oromucosal lesions were slightly more with a higher radiation dosage.