Predicting radiation dosimetric distribution in different regions of the jaw in patients receiving radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil
Chiaojung Jillian Tsai MD, PhD  Nipun Verma MD, PhD  Adepitan A. Owosho BChD  Patrick Hilden MS Jonathan Leeman MD  SaeHee Yom DDS, MPH  Joseph M. Huryn DDS … See all authors
First published: 05 August 2019 https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.25883
Chiaojung Jillian Tsai and Nipun Verma are co‐first authors.
Funding information: National Institute of Health (NIH), Grant/Award Number: R01CA129182; NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant, Grant/Award Number: P30 CA008748
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Abstract
Background
Radiotherapy (RT), the main treatment for patients with head and neck cancer, can lead to dental complications.

Methods
We identified 244 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil treated with RT from 2004 to 2013. For each patient, we contoured the 10 tooth‐bearing regions and calculated the radiation dose (gray, Gy) to each region. From this data set, we built two predictive models to determine the expected maximum radiation dose, one for the non‐molar regions and another for the molar regions.

Results
For the non‐molars, the final model included location, T‐classification, and overall stage, with a median absolute prediction error of 7.0 Gy. For the molars, the final model included location, T‐classification, overall stage, and treatment year, with a median absolute error of 6.0 Gy.

Conclusions
Our current model offers a good estimation of the maximum radiation dose delivered to different regions of the jaw; future work will independently validate these models.