Oral Complications of Cancer Therapy

Contemporary cancer treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted cancer therapies. Oral complications are common; may be debilitating or life-threatening; and are governed by the cancer type, its location and the treatment modality used. Oral complications may arise during cancer treatment or become apparent post treatment completion. Soft and hard tissues may be affected, and the injuries may be transient or permanent. Oral mucositis, stomatitis and infections are common complications affecting the oral mucosa. Salivary gland injuries result in salivary gland hypofunction and xerostomia, frequently leading to dental complications. Surgical and nonsurgical cancer therapies are commonly associated with pain and may lead to neurological problems such as dysesthesia or paraesthesia. These therapies also often impair oral functions such as speech, mastication, swallowing and taste. Disfigurement with associated psychological implications is an important consequence of surgical treatment of oral cancer or cancer treatment complications such as osteonecrosis. Second primary cancers, including of the oral cavity, may complicate certain cancer therapies. Pre-cancer therapy dental evaluation and treatment as well as regular and lifelong dental care has the potential to prevent or reduce the impact of oral complications of cancer treatments.