Prosthetic Carriers for Radiation Therapy of Head and Neck

The term head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers originating from the upper aero digestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity, Para nasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, originating from the mucosal lining (epithelium) of these regions. Radiation therapy is the most common form of treatment along with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiotherapy is the art of using ionizing radiation to destroy malignant cells while minimizing damage to normal tissue. Radiotherapy has become astandard treatment option for a wide range of malignancies, but adverse tissue reactions associated with the use of radiotherapy in the management of patients with head and neck cancer are painful and they diminish the quality of life. So a novel approach has been made to fabricate customized intraoral stents that can help prevent the unnecessary irradiation of the surrounding normal tissues, thus reducing the severity ofreactions. However, when properly designed and used, these stents are effective in reducing the treatment morbidity.

Author(s): Roma Goswami, Kanika Agarwal and Nishant Gaba

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