Does radiation-induced fibrosis have an important role in pathophysiology of the osteoradionecrosis of jaw?

Osteoradionecrosis of the mandible is a serious complication following radiation therapy with or without surgical intervention for malignancies of the head and neck. The acknowledged clinical presentation of osteoradionecrosis is pain, fistulae of mucosa or skin, complete devitalization of bone and pathological fractures. Radiation-induced fibrosis is an irreversible pathological process, which leads to damages in lung, skin, intestine, and pelvic cavity after radiotherapy. Studies have proved that radiation-induced fibrosis is involved in the pathological onset, development, maintenance of osteoradionecrosis and there is dose-effect relationship between them, so the authors hypothesize that radiation-induced fibrosis plays an important role in osteoradionecrosis. Studies need to perform to look for more efficient methods of managing and preventing the osteoradionecrosis.