Osteonecrosis of the Jaw- More Common Than Thought

e “An analysis of Medicare data for more than 1,800 head/neck cancer patients suggests that jaw complications following radiation treatment may be more common than recognized”

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw or ONJ. It is a fact that radiation therapy for head/neck cancer damages bones. Further, conventional oncology does not spend much time studying side-effects of cancer therapies. Especially when the side-effect is considered to be long-term or late stage- meaning the side effect can happen months or years after active therapies.

As a cancer patient you need to understand how conventional oncology minimizes short, long-term and late stage side effects of many therapies. There are evidence-base, non-toxic therapies that may heal your side-effect.

I am both a cancer survivor and cancer coach. Do you have head/neck cancer? Osteonecrosis of the Jaw? Please consider evidence-based, non-conventional therapies that can reduce your risk of side effects and improve your overall survival.

thank you

David Emerson

Cancer Survivor
Cancer Coach
Director PeopleBeatingCancer

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Jaw Complications Persist With Head/Neck Cancer Treatment

“An analysis of Medicare data for more than 1,800 head and neck cancer patients suggests that jaw complications (ONJ) following radiation treatment may be more common than recognized.

Moreover, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was not associated with significantly lower rates of jaw complications, compared with older radiation techniques, although there was a slight trend in that direction and the interval to developing jaw complications was longer following IMRT, reported Dr. Beth M. Beadle at a head and neck cancer symposium sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

In the literature, osteoradionecrosis (ORN) or osteonecrosis of the jaw, the most severe jaw manifestation resulting from head/neck radiation, was reported on average in 11.8% of patients in 10 studies (total, 3,312 irradiated patients) from the 1930s through the 1960s…

Since 1997, 25 retrospective and prospective studies involving 9,632 patients overall have reported an overall average ORN rate of 3.0%, she said…

For the current study, data were taken from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database for Medicare beneficiaries. Patients who were diagnosed with oral cancers in 1999-2007 were identified using SEER, ICD-9, and CPT codes. Primary tumor sites included those of the lip, tongue, floor of mouth, gum, tonsil, oropharynx, and other oral cavity and pharynx…

Of 1,848 patients overall, 16.1% (297) had at least one osteoradionecrosis code within 90 days of radiation therapy completion…

In response to questions from the audience, Dr. Beadle said that it wasn’t clear why jaw complications would be more common among patients who did not receive chemotherapy, but it might be that those patients received higher doses of radiation…”