THE INFLUENCE OF NEW IRRADIATION TECHNIQUES OF PAROTID TUMORS FOR ORAL REHABILITATION

Abstract

Most salivary gland tumors arise in the parotid glands, but tumors of the submandibular or other minor salivary glands can also occur. Most tumors are treated with surgery, followed by postoperative radiotherapy when risk of local recurrence is high. Retrospective series suggest the addition of radiotherapy can reduce local recurrence rates from 30 per cent to 10 per cent but there is no effect on overall survival. Radiotherapy treatment can only produce good effects if it is delivered in an appropriate clinical context. Modern radiotherapy planning requires a comprehensive knowledge of cross sectional anatomy and the ability to visualize structures in three dimensions. IMRT is a new technology in radiation oncology that delivers radiation more precisely to the tumor while relatively sparing the surrounding normal tissues.

Keywords

• oral rehabilitation
• parotid tumour
• radiotherapy