Chemotherapy may limit perio treatment effectiveness

Women undergoing periodontal treatment for breast cancer see less benefit from the treatment than ‘healthy’ patients.

Researchers stated that periodontal infection and inflammation may be aggravated during chemotherapy and contribute to the systemic inflammatory process.

Researchers studied the reactions of 59 women divided into four groups: healthy (16 patients), those with breast cancer without periodontal disease (15 patients), healthy but periodontally compromised (18 patients), and those with breast cancer who were periodontally compromised (10 patients) and received periodontal treatment while also undergoing chemotherapy.

All patients had four measurements taken at baseline, 45 days after baseline, and 90 days after baseline: probing depth, clinical attachement level, plaque index, and gingival index.

The group of cancer patients who were periodontally challenged had less reduction in probing depth, more periodontal pockets, and overall a much higher risk of disease progression.

In this ‘initial observation period, less favourable results were seen in those patients with cancer,’ the authors of the study noted.

The results were presented at the American Academy of Periodontology’s 100^th Annual Meeting by researchers from Brazil, including the University of São Paulo School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto.

Last amended 29 October, 2014