Impacted Tooth Management and Osteoradionecrosis Risk in NPC

August 10, 2026 updated by: min kang, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University

Omission of Prophylactic Impacted Tooth Extraction and Risk of Jaw Osteoradionecrosis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Noninferiority, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial

This multicenter, randomized controlled trial is designed to determine whether omitting prophylactic extraction of impacted teeth before radiotherapy leads to an unacceptably higher risk of jaw osteoradionecrosis (JORN) compared with conventional prophylactic extraction in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). JORN is a condition in which jawbone tissue is damaged and fails to heal properly after radiotherapy.

A total of 536 eligible participants with at least one impacted tooth will be randomly assigned to either omit prophylactic extraction of impacted teeth before radiotherapy or undergo conventional prophylactic extraction before radiotherapy. All participants will receive standard curative-intent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), with chemotherapy administered when indicated according to the study protocol.

Participants will be followed for up to 5 years. The primary outcome is the incidence of JORN within 2 years after completion of radiotherapy. Secondary outcomes include longer-term incidence of JORN, overall survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, quality of life, and treatment-related toxicities.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Prophylactic extraction of impacted teeth before radiotherapy is performed to reduce the potential risk of dental complications and jaw osteoradionecrosis after treatment. However, whether prophylactic extraction is necessary for impacted teeth without indications for therapeutic extraction remains uncertain.

This study is designed to evaluate whether omission of prophylactic impacted tooth extraction is noninferior to conventional prophylactic extraction with respect to the risk of jaw osteoradionecrosis in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing curative-intent radiotherapy. The study will also assess the long-term clinical outcomes and safety of this tooth-management strategy.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

536

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • China
    • Guangxi
      • Baise City, Guangxi, China, 533000
        • Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities
        • Contact:
      • Beihai, Guangxi, China, 536000
        • Beihai People's Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Guigang, Guangxi, China, 537100
        • Guigang People's Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Guilin, Guangxi, China, 541001
        • The Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University
        • Contact:
      • Liuzhou, Guangxi, China, 545006
        • Liuzhou People's Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Liuzhou, Guangxi, China, 545007
        • Liuzhou Workers' Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Nanning, Guangxi, China, 530021
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University
        • Contact:
      • Nanning, Guangxi, China, 530000
        • The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
        • Contact:
      • Nanning, Guangxi, China, 530199
        • Wuming Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi Medical University
        • Contact:
      • Wuzhou, Guangxi, China, 543002
      • Yulin, Guangxi, China, 537000
        • The First People's Hospital of Yulin
        • Contact:
          • Leifeng Liang, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1.
  • Age 18-75 years, regardless of sex.
  • Histologically confirmed non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, including differentiated or undifferentiated subtype (WHO type II or III).
  • Newly diagnosed, previously untreated nasopharyngeal carcinoma with stage T1-4N0-3M0 according to the 9th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control (AJCC/UICC) staging system.
  • Presence of permanent dentition with at least one impacted third molar.
  • Adequate bone marrow function, defined as white blood cell count ≥4.0 × 10⁹/L, platelet count ≥100 × 10⁹/L, and hemoglobin ≥90 g/L.
  • Adequate hepatic function, defined as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase ≤2.5 × the upper limit of normal (ULN), and total bilirubin ≤1.5 × ULN.
  • Adequate renal function, defined as blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine ≤1.5 × ULN, or creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min.
  • Coagulation function within normal limits.
  • Written informed consent provided, with willingness and ability to comply with study visits, treatment plans, laboratory assessments, and other study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Histopathological diagnosis other than WHO type II or III nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  • Impacted third molars with recurrent pericoronitis or inflammation due to incomplete eruption.
  • Fully erupted third molars with dental caries involving the pulp.
  • Impacted third molars with radiographic evidence of periapical or periodontal inflammation.
  • Third molars completely impacted within the jawbone.
  • History of active malignancy or other malignant tumors diagnosed within the previous 5 years, except for adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ.
  • Previous chemotherapy, surgery (except diagnostic procedures), radiotherapy, or other antitumor treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma or cervical lesions.
  • Patients receiving palliative treatment.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
  • Severe uncontrolled cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases.
  • Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction.
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
  • Severe osteoporosis, medication-related osteonecrosis/osteomyelitis, or chronic diseases requiring long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy.
  • Other severe chronic debilitating diseases that may increase study risk or affect study compliance.
  • History of drug abuse or alcohol dependence.
  • Uncontrolled psychiatric disorders or inability to provide legally valid informed consent.
  • Positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with hepatitis B virus DNA >1,000 copies/mL.
  • Active hepatitis C virus infection (positive HCV RNA).
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  • Active tuberculosis within the previous 1 year.
  • History of active tuberculosis more than 1 year previously without documented completion of standard anti-tuberculosis treatment.
  • Any other medical, psychological, social, or laboratory condition that, in the investigator's judgment, may compromise participant safety, interfere with study procedures, affect protocol compliance, or result in premature withdrawal from the study.
  • Refusal or inability to provide written informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Omission of Prophylactic Extraction Group
Participants assigned to this group will not undergo prophylactic extraction of impacted teeth before radiotherapy.
Other: Omission of Prophylactic Impacted Tooth Extraction
Participants will not undergo prophylactic extraction of eligible impacted teeth before radiotherapy.
Active Comparator: Conventional Prophylactic Extraction Group
Participants assigned to this group will undergo conventional prophylactic extraction of impacted teeth before radiotherapy.
Procedure: Prophylactic Impacted Tooth Extraction
Participants will undergo prophylactic extraction of eligible impacted teeth before radiotherapy according to the study protocol.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
2-Year Cumulative Incidence of Jaw Osteoradionecrosis
Time Frame: Within 24 months after completion of radiotherapy
The cumulative incidence of jaw osteoradionecrosis (JORN) within 24 months after completion of radiotherapy will be estimated and compared between the two treatment groups.
Within 24 months after completion of radiotherapy

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
2-Year Overall Survival
Time Frame: 24 months after randomization
The 2-year overall survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining alive at 24 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
24 months after randomization
2-Year Event-Free Survival
Time Frame: 24 months after randomization
The 2-year event-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from local recurrence, regional recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause at 24 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
24 months after randomization
2-Year Local Relapse-Free Survival
Time Frame: 24 months after randomization
The 2-year local relapse-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from local recurrence or death at 24 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
24 months after randomization
2-Year Regional Relapse-Free Survival
Time Frame: 24 months after randomization
The 2-year regional relapse-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from regional recurrence or death at 24 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
24 months after randomization
2-Year Distant Metastasis-Free Survival
Time Frame: 24 months after randomization
The 2-year distant metastasis-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from distant metastasis or death from any cause at 24 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
24 months after randomization
Quality of Life Assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30
Time Frame: Baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after completion of radiotherapy
Quality of life will be assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale. Higher scores on the functional scales and global health status/quality-of-life scale indicate better functioning or quality of life, whereas higher scores on the symptom scales indicate greater symptom burden.
Baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after completion of radiotherapy
Head and Neck Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Assessed by the EORTC QLQ-H&N35
Time Frame: Baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after completion of radiotherapy
Head and neck cancer-specific symptoms and quality-of-life problems will be assessed using the EORTC QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire. Scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale, with higher scores indicating greater symptom burden or more severe problems.
Baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after completion of radiotherapy
Acute Treatment-Related Toxicities
Time Frame: From initiation of treatment through 90 days after completion of radiotherapy
The incidence and severity of acute treatment-related toxicities will be assessed and compared between the two treatment groups. Toxicities will be graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 5.0, as applicable.
From initiation of treatment through 90 days after completion of radiotherapy
5-Year Cumulative Incidence of Jaw Osteoradionecrosis
Time Frame: Within 60 months after completion of radiotherapy
The cumulative incidence of jaw osteoradionecrosis (JORN) within 60 months after completion of radiotherapy will be estimated and compared between the two treatment groups.
Within 60 months after completion of radiotherapy
5-Year Overall Survival
Time Frame: 60 months after randomization
The 5-year overall survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining alive at 60 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
60 months after randomization
5-Year Event-Free Survival
Time Frame: 60 months after randomization
The 5-year event-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from local recurrence, regional recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause at 60 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
60 months after randomization
5-Year Local Relapse-Free Survival
Time Frame: 60 months after randomization
The 5-year local relapse-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from local recurrence or death from any cause at 60 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
60 months after randomization
5-Year Regional Relapse-Free Survival
Time Frame: 60 months after randomization
The 5-year regional relapse-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from regional recurrence or death from any cause at 60 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
60 months after randomization
5-Year Distant Metastasis-Free Survival
Time Frame: 60 months after randomization
The 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rate will be estimated as the probability of remaining free from distant metastasis or death from any cause at 60 months after randomization and compared between the two treatment groups.
60 months after randomization
Late Treatment-Related Toxicities
Time Frame: From more than 90 days through 60 months after completion of radiotherapy
The incidence and severity of late treatment-related toxicities will be assessed and compared between the two treatment groups using the RTOG/EORTC late radiation morbidity scoring criteria and CTCAE version 5.0, as applicable.
From more than 90 days through 60 months after completion of radiotherapy

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University

Collaborators

Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital
LiuZhou People's Hospital
First People's Hospital of Yulin
Guigang People's Hospital
Affiliated Hospital of Guilin University
People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities
Liuzhou Workers' Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Min Kang, MD, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

August 30, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2032

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 10, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 10, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • FirstGuangxiMU02

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared because the study data are subject to institutional, ethical, and participant confidentiality requirements.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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