Oral Care

The Oral Care Study Group’s major goals are to enhance knowledge of the wide range of oral complications associated with cancer therapies and to support the translation into improved clinical management for patients. The group’s objectives are to understand the clinical impact of the wide variety of oral complications. These include xerostomia, dysgeusia, dysphagia, oral pain, fungal infection, viral infection, osteoradionecrosis, osteonecrosis from bisphosphonates, dental disease and trismus.

The study group aims to develop and coordinate new evidence-based management guidelines. In addition, the Oral Care Study Group serves as a resource for collaborative research efforts among members of this group as well as other members of MASCC and ISOO. Another focus of the Oral Care Study Group is education for members of MASCC and ISOO. The group will undertake multiple, systematic reviews of the incidence and prevalence or oral complications of cancer therapy, as well as their management, effects on quality of life, and economic impact. Efforts are underway to establish a multicenter study of members of the Oral Care Study Group to prospectively collect data on various outcomes related to oral complications of cancer therapy.