Abstract

Objectives Longitudinal assessment of the role of specific proteins on radiotherapy caries (RC) onset in head and neck cancer patients(HNC) up to one-year post-IMRT using a 5000ppm fluoride paste daily. Materials and methods Dental status/salivary protein data were obtained from 40 HNC patients pre-IMRT, six months (T1) and 12 months (T2) post-IMRT (ethical approval/consent). DMFT/salivary parameters were quantified, including flow rate, mucin 5B/7, Immunoglobulin A (IgA), cystatin S and α-amylase. Results 45% patients had at least one carious lesion at T2, a significant reduction in the number of remaining teeth (65% <21), salivary flow rate (< 50%) and, protein secretion (< 0.05) post-IMRT. T1 IgA concentration/secretion rate was associated with RC (p < 0.05). Finally, IgA and total protein concentration obtained at T1 could provide a predictive pattern (AUC 82.3%) for the patients more predisposed to developing RC at T2. Conclusions This study demonstrated the significant association of RC with salivary proteins in HNC patients treated with IMRT, revealing the potential role of salivary proteins in the early diagnosis of RC. Clinical relevance This research contributes to revealing salivary proteins association with RC, and its role in early diagnosis. Therefore, this could be the first step towards personalized medicine approaches to improve this group quality-of-life.