title: The medical oncology patient.
abstract: Chemotherapy may be either an effective alternative to surgery or a valuable adjunct to surgery and/or radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The care of medical oncology patients is a multidisciplinary effort. Oral health care providers can expect to be called on to care for patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Early, active participation in developing preventive and therapeutic strategies, in implementing the plan, and in the education and rehabilitation of patients is paramount in addressing quality of life issues. To provide timely and competent care, oral health care providers must understand the disease, its treatment, and the impact the disease and/or its treatment may have on these patients. Oral health care providers should develop and implement preventive and therapeutic strategies with the same ethical, moral, and professional standards of care as may be appropriate in the management of any other patient.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Medicine, Department of Dental Diagnostic Science, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School, San Antonio, 78229-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Michaell A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Geza T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Terezhalmy
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents