Tissue repair in osteoradionecrosis using pentoxifylline and tocopherol--report of three cases

Abstract

Purpose: Osteoradionecrosis is a complication of head and neck radiotherapy, with a difficult resolution and no well-established treatment. The disease progression can cause important loss on patient's quality of life after cancer treatment. The options for treatment are limited and include clinical monitoring, prescription, or surgical procedures. As an alternative for bone necrosis treatment, a combination of drugs, pentoxifylline and tocopherol, can be used. Studies have shown that this combination significantly reduces chronic radiotherapy damage. The article reports successful treatment with this prescription protocol.

Methods: We report three cases of patients referred to the Service of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Erasto Gaertner Hospital, in Curitiba, Brazil. They were submitted to radiotherapy for the treatment of malignant head and neck tumors and later developed osteoradionecrosis. They were treated with the combination pentoxifylline and tocopherol.

Results: All patients achieved complete remission in less than 1 year, with complete healing of bone exposure and without clinical symptoms.

Conclusions: This results show that this combination of drugs is beneficial in cases of bone necrosis induced by radiation, avoiding more aggressive treatments and reducing morbidity.

Keywords: Osteoradionecrosis; Pentoxifylline; Radiotherapy; Tocopherol.