Avaliação da condição oral em sobreviventes de cancro pediátrico

: um estudo piloto

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric cancer treatments are considered a success of modern medicine, resulting in a significant reduction in mortality rates. At the same time, the growing population of survivors is facing new long-term challenges. Among the reported sequelae, oral complications are among the most prevalent, although often neglected. OBJECTIVES: Development of a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a questionnaire regarding the oral condition of pediatric cancer survivors in Portugal, as well as the preliminary analysis of the data obtained. METHODOLOGY: A digital questionnaire was developed and applied to an eligible sample. The preliminary analysis of the data was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences® (SPSS). RESULTS: The study was applied to an eligible sample, resulting in a response rate of 78,6%. The average response time was 7,3 minutes. A significant majority of participants reported having some knowledge about oral complications as a result of cancer treatments. Gum problems and tooth sensitivity were the main alterations reported. Regarding the impact on overall quality of life, 36,4% of the participants reported a significant impact and 27,3% a moderate impact. All the participants considered important the presence of a dentist or stomatologist in the medical team that accompanies the child in the hospital. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be valid and effective. Oral changes as a consequence of antineoplastic treatments were experienced by 81,8% of the participants. A significant number of participants reported a substantial and multifaceted impact of the changes on their quality of life. The level of satisfaction with dental care was high, however, financial issues were identified as an obstacle to accessing treatment.

Date of Award	17 Jul 2024
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rute Rio (Supervisor), Raquel Silva (Co-Supervisor) & Patrícia Nunes Correia (Co-Supervisor)