Pacientes Oncológicos Pediátricos: Manifestações Bucais da Terapia Antineoplásica

During the last decades, malign cancers have been on the increase and early diagnosis is still highly relevant. Although prevention is highly difficult in children, cancer is more susceptible to treatment and better results are achieved. Chemo- and radiotherapy are the basic treatments. It is very common that during the treatment changes in the oral cavity appear within the cranium-facial development or caused by the imuno-suppression condition. Current investigation comprises a review of the literature on main mouth alterations caused by anti-cancer treatment in children, with special reference to the role of the dentist-surgeon and the medical team in the prevention, diagnosis, control and treatment of the collateral effects in the mouth cavity. Since dentist-surgeons in the multidisciplinary cancer team are highly important for patient follow-up, their role should be enhanced as from the initial dentist evaluation to periodic tests during anti-cancer therapy.