Evelyn Gómez-Espinosa, Independent Researcher, London, UK
Gabriela Marroquín-Velásquez, Center for Research in Atomic, Nuclear and Molecular Sciences (CICANUM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Clinical management of breast cancer (BC) survivorship rarely involves evidence-based oral care. This review aimed to provide data on the prevalence and burden of oral complications (OC) among BC patients and to provide recommendations for optimal management of OCs in this population. The review was conducted using systematic searches in electronic databases up to July 2023 following a predefined protocol (CRD42021272130). The occurrence of at least one OC, beyond the well-known mucositis or stomatitis, was reported by 14% of close to 8,000 BC patients with an average age of 54 years. The most prevalent were periodontitis, gingivitis, ulcers, pain, tooth loss, or xerostomia. When evaluated, OCs were more prevalent in BC patients compared to controls and were mostly reported temporarily during treatment. A higher prevalence was observed from real-world data compared to interventional data. Although scarce and heterogeneous, burden data suggested that OCs negatively impact patients’ quality of life and overall costs of treatment. OCs are scarcely studied but their occurrence impacts negatively patient’s everyday lives. Standardized well-designed oral health research focusing on region-specific cost-effective management approaches is crucial for optimizing care delivery for BC survivors.
Keywords: Oral health. Breast neoplasm. Adverse events. Epidemiology. Quality of life. Economics.
