Oral Implant Treatment for a Patient Undergoing Molecularly Targeted Drug Therapy for Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia: A Case Report

The primary concern in carrying out dental implant treatment in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia is the development of peri-implantitis. However, currently, the advent of molecular-targeted drugs such as nilotinib markedly improves the survival rates in such patients, and it is reported that remission status can be maintained for a long time without abnormalities such as a decrease in white blood cell count. This case history report discusses an 8-year follow-up of implant treatment administered during the remission phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia maintained using nilotinib. A 56-year-old male patient who was undergoing treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia at the Department of Hematology requested a dental consultation for the treatment of a mastication disorder due to loss of mandibular left molars. After confirming via oral and radiographic examination that there were no abnormalities such as periodontal disease, temporomandibular joint symptoms, or metal allergy, two Brånemark System Mk III implants with diameters of 3.75 and 5 mm and lengths of 10 and 8.5 mm, respectively, were embedded in the defect. Following this, no problems were observed in the general condition, esthetics, or oral function around the implant. Further, symptoms such as mobility of the implant body or inflammation of the surrounding tissue have not appeared to this day, as the molecular-targeted drug decreases the occurrence of immunosuppression, which could not be achieved conventionally. Although this is only one instance, the possibility of implant treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia patients in the remission phase has been presented in this case.