ABSTRACT
The mouth plays a fundamental role in many aspects of life: nutrition; hydration; phonation; speech articulation processes; relational and communication activities; and emotional, affective, and sexual relations. This chapter describes the major and more frequent oral problems experienced by patients with advanced cancer followed in palliative care programs. The most common oral infection is oral candidiasis: high levels of Candida have been reported among terminally ill patients, with correspondingly high levels of mucosal disease. Acyclovir triphosphate is available as a topical 5% ointment, an intravenous form, and an oral form. The oral mucosa is frequently damaged during chemotherapy/radiotherapy in patients with cancer, leading to a high incidence of oral and esophageal mucositis. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has altered the prevalence and incidence of oral mucosal lesions of human immunodeficiency virus infection. The treatment in patients receiving oral or intravenous bisphosphonate therapy is principally preventive in nature.
