Depending on the staging, some cancer diseases can manifest in the oral cavity as the cancer cells metastasize through
lymphatic and vascular spread.
The treatment of cancer in the head and neck region including radiation therapy and chemotherapy; and treatment for hematologic malignancies, such as stem cell and/or bone marrow transplants with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, often times affect the oral health and function.
Some examples of manifestation of cancer disease in the oral cavity:
- Manifestation of AIDS/HIV in the oral cavity
- Metastatic breast cancer to the mandibular bone (lower jaw)
- Metastatic uterine cancer to the mandibular bone
- Manifestation of hematologic disorders in the oral mucosa (aplastic anemia, lymphocytic leukemia, myelogenic eukemia, thrombocytopenia purpura, plasmacytoma, malignant lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome/MDS)
Often time sequelae/complication of cancer treatment can be seen in the oral cavity and head/neck area such as:
- Radiation skin burn
- Radiation mucositis
- Radiation caries
- Osteoradionecrosis
- Xerostomia / dry mouth
- Trismus (in-ability to open the mouth) post radiation therapy
- Oral complications from chemotherapy treatment
- Oral complications from concomitant chemo-radiation therapy
- Graft versus host disease – GVHD post Bone Marrow Transplant