Joel Brian Epstein

BACKGROUND: Multiple oral complaints develop during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and quality of life is affected after treatment. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the quality of life, oral function, and oral symptoms in a cohort of patients during and after radiation therapy.

METHODS: A general quality of life survey (the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), with an added oral symptom and ...

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is present in biologic fluids, including saliva, and plays a role in maintenance of the epithelial barrier and in healing of damaged mucosa. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation between salivary EGF and the severity of oral mucositis in patients with carcinoma of the head and neck during radiation therapy.

METHODS: Whole resting saliva (WRS) and whole stimulated saliva (WSS) were collected prior to radiation and each week during ...

Multiple oral complaints develop following high-dose chemo/radiotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) which can influence quality of life. The purpose of this investigation was to assess quality of life, oral function, taste and smell in a cohort of patients following HCT. A general quality of life survey (the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)) Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire (QLQ-C30), with an added oral symptom and function scale and ...

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancers are of particular interest to health care providers, their patients, and those paying for health care services, because they have a high morbidity, they are extremely expensive to treat, and of the survivors only 48% return to work. Consequently the economic burden of oral cavity, oral pharyngeal, and salivary gland cancer (OC/OP/SG) must be understood. The cost of these cancers in the U.S. has not been investigated.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of ...

OBJECTIVES: Despite aggressive antifungal prophylaxis, the increased risk for systemic fungal infection in recipients of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) continues to be a significant concern because Candida infection can cause morbidity and mortality in these patients. The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship of oral colonization by Candida species to systemic infection, mortality, and the impact of antifungal treatment on a population of recipients of ...

OBJECTIVE: Oral cancer is primarily a disease of epithelial origin. The tongue is the most common site of oral cancer. Oropharyngeal cancer accounts for approximately 2% of all cancer deaths. The purpose of this study was to analyze a case series of patients with tongue cancer.

STUDY DESIGN: The medical records of 322 consecutive patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue treated from 1979-1994 were reviewed.

RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 61.1 years and a ...

BACKGROUND: Multiple oral complaints occur following radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer, but the frequency and severity of symptoms of dysfunction and discomfort are not well understood. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the quality of life, oral function, and oral symptoms following radiotherapy.

METHODS: A general quality of life survey (the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC] Quality of Life Questionnaire QLQ-C30), with an added oral ...

BACKGROUND: Mucositis is a highly significant, and sometimes dose-limiting, toxicity of cancer therapy. The goal of this systematic review was to update the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer and International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for mucositis.

METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify eligible published articles, based on predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Each article was independently reviewed by 2 ...

Goals of workThis study sought to characterize the range of oral symptoms and affect upon quality of life reported by pediatric and adolescent patients in relation to the severity of oral mucositis and symptom burden during chemotherapy.Patients and methodsA multicenter study included 140 patients between 6 and 18 years of age who had been treated with chemotherapy. Participants completed the self-report Mouth and Throat Soreness-related Questions of the Oral Mucositis Daily ...

PurposeThere is a large body of evidence supporting the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT), more recently termed photobiomodulation (PBM) for the management of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Recent advances in PBM technology, together with a better understanding of mechanisms involved and dosimetric parameters may lead to the management of a broader range of complications associated with HNC treatment. This could enhance ...

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the utility (usefulness) of toluidine blue application as an aid to the recognition and diagnosis of clinically evident lesions in a series of patients previously treated for oral cancer and monitored in a cancer center. In addition to increased risk of recurrence of cancer or new second primary lesions, patients who have had previous treatment for oropharyngeal cancer may be more difficult to assess because of tissue changes that occur as a result of ...

BACKGROUND: Results from studies conducted in the past several years suggest that some oropharyngeal cancers, those of the base of the tongue and the tonsils, are associated with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). In this article, the authors summarize the available evidence regarding the epidemiology of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers in the United States, the available HPV vaccines and the implications of these for dentistry. They also examine the differences in HPV ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of sucralfate suspension in prevention of oral mucositis and for reduction of oral pain in patients who develop mucositis during radiation therapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized prospective trial of a sucralfate suspension in the prevention and management of oral mucositis during radiation therapy. Oral mucositis was assessed using a quantitative scale and symptoms were ...

BACKGROUND: Lymphoma is the second most common neoplasm of the head and neck; almost 50% of all lymphomas occur in this region. Waldeyer's ring is the most common site of lymphomas involving the oral region. The purpose of this study was to review the characteristics of a large series of malignant lymphoma of the oral region.

METHODS: Three hundred sixty-one consecutive cases of malignant lymphoma of the oral region were identified in the Tumor Registry between 1969 and 1998.

RESULTS: ...