Background

Dental and oral anomalies are among the most common long-term side effects of childhood cancer therapy.

Aim

To evaluate chemotherapy as a risk factor for caries lesions and gingivitis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with the ALL IC-BFM 2009 chemotherapy protocol.

Design

A retrospective cohort study was designed. Clinical records of 23 paediatric patients with ALL exposed to chemotherapy in the Regional Hospital in Valdivia, Chile, and 46 unexposed patients assessed every 3 months for 24 months were analyzed. The data on gender, age, index of the number of decayed, missing, or filled teeth, and the presence of gingivitis were recorded (Mann–Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis, p ≤ .05).

Results

A significantly greater frequency of gingivitis (69.57%; p < .002) and a mean of new caries lesions were observed in children treated with chemotherapy than in the unexposed children (p < .01). The chemotherapy protocol presented a relative risk of 2.15 (95% CI = 1.22 - 2.66; p = .01) for new caries lesions and 2.29 (95% CI = 1.76 - 3.82; p = .002) for gingivitis.

Conclusion

The ALL IC-BFM 2009 chemotherapy protocol in patients with ALL is a risk factor for new caries lesions and gingivitis.