Comparison of late dental sequelae in survivors of high-risk neuroblastoma treated with myeloablative high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVES

Dental defects were evaluated in high-risk neuroblastoma survivors (HRNBLs) who underwent myeloablative conditioning with 1 of 2 high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) regimens prior to autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), without exposure to total body irradiation. The regimens compared were busulfan/melphalan (BuMel) and carboplatin/etoposide/melphalan (CEM).

STUDY

DESIGN

Clinical records from 2019-2022 of HRNBL survivors at the Children's Hospital at Westmead were reviewed. Dental defects were assessed using orthopantomograms and quantified using Holtta's defect index (HDI).

RESULTS

Thirteen BuMLP and thirteen CEM patients were included. Mean age at HDC was 3.0 ± 1.1 years and mean age at assessment was 11.3 ± 3.2 years. The study population presented with a mean HDI of 45.6 (±18.8). BuMLP presented with a mean HDI of 51.9 (±18.8) compared to CEM with a mean HDI of 39.4 (±17.3), although this was not statistically significant. All subjects demonstrated altered root development (P = .04), while 65.4% (n = 17) presented with microdontia and 69.2% (n = 18) exhibited dental agenesis.

CONCLUSION

HRNBLs show a high prevalence of dental defects after HDC. Impacts of BuMLP versus CEM require further investigation.