Oral Complications of Cancer and its Management

Book excerpt: Oral problems are common in cancer patients. They can be a part of the disease itself; they can develop as a result of treatment; they can accompany other symptoms and present as a comorbidity; and they can even first present after the original disease itself has been cured. Oral symptoms can be complex to treat, both preventing administration of potentially life-saving treatment, and also directly causing additional life-threatening complications. However, many symptoms can be treated, and lead to tremendous relief of suffering for the patient. Oral complications of cancer and its management is the first book to focus on this unique set of symptoms, and provides an international, multi-professional reference with up to date, evidence-based, clinically relevant advice. It covers topics such as oral anatomy and physiology, oral assessment and oral hygiene, as well as more common oral complications of cancer and its treatment. Surgical, radiotherapy and chemotherapy side effects are detailed in all of the chapters whilst specific problems are discussed in detail in separate chapters. Other chapters focus on oral infections, and major oral symptoms experienced by patients with cancer. In addition there are chapters addressing the needs of specific groups of patient (e.g. paediatric patients, patients with advanced cancer), and the health economic impact of oral complications. This book should become the complete reference source for the wide multi-disciplinary team involved in treating the cancer patient with oral problems; this includes oncologists (both medical and clinical), oncology nurses, oral medicine specialists, palliative care physicians and nurses, special care dentists, special care dental nurses/hygienists, and therapy radiographers.