What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a literature review to evaluate the clinical use of pentoxifylline and tocopherol (PENTO), with or without clodronate (PENTOCLO), for treating and preventing osteoradionecrosis (ORN) and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ).
What They Found
Across 22 included studies, PENTO/PENTOCLO achieved complete healing in 54% to 100% of patients with osteoradionecrosis (ORN) and reduced ORN incidence to 0% to 5% when used prophylactically. For medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), PENTO improved pain and healing, with minimal adverse effects reported across all studies.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients suffering from osteoradionecrosis or medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw may find pentoxifylline and tocopherol (PENTO) to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option. This therapy could potentially reduce symptoms, improve healing, and decrease the need for surgical interventions for these challenging conditions.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor does it involve Canadian researchers or patient populations.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this literature review is the heterogeneity of the included studies, which comprised various designs from randomized trials to retrospective case series.