Benefits of an intraoral stent in decreasing the irradiation dose to oral healthy tissue: dosimetric and clinical features.

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.

Study Design: 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.

Impact of intraoral stent on the side effects of radiotherapy for oral cancer.

Background: The intraoral stent is a mouth-opening device which may be used during head and neck cancer radiotherapy with the intention of preventing unnecessary irradiation in normal adjacent tissue. The use of this device during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has not been reported in the literature.

Methods: A 30-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue was submitted to a CT for IMRT treatment planning with and without the use of the intraoral stent.