Publications by authors named "Joel B Epstein"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the link between oral ulcerative mucositis (both chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced) and the burden of illness, dysphagia, and disparities in patients with cancers of the oral cavity and those undergoing stem cell transplants.
  • Using national data, the research found that chemotherapy-induced oral ulcerative mucositis is associated with longer hospital stays and a higher likelihood of dysphagia in both cancer and transplant patients, while radiotherapy-induced mucositis only increased hospital stays without impacting dysphagia.
  • The findings stress the importance of better screening and prevention strategies for oral mucositis, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups, and suggest future studies explore AI for predicting mucositis outcomes.
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Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is the primary histological marker for assessing the progression of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) to cancer. Despite challenges in grading and low inter-pathologist reproducibility, OED severity remains the key predictor of malignant transformation. However, globally accepted guidelines for OED monitoring are lacking, despite calls for individualized management based on host and lesion characteristics.

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Purpose: This review aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of dysgeusia after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

Methods: A literature search (in PubMed, Embase.com and Web of Science) for clinical studies evaluating taste before and after HCT was performed up to June 22, 2023, in collaboration with a medical information specialist.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The review focuses on the prevalence of oral diseases in palliative care patients, noting that oral alterations often result from the patients' underlying medical conditions and treatments, impacting their quality of life.
  • - A systematic evaluation of literature, including a meta-analysis of five studies involving over 2,500 patients, revealed significant rates of dental issues like caries (32%) and oral candidiasis (17%).
  • - The conclusion emphasizes the importance of early dental intervention and ongoing monitoring to improve comfort and prevent complications in patients receiving palliative care.
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Purpose Of Review: Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum), an anaerobic, gram-negative microbe, commonly found in human dental biofilm and the gut flora. It has long been known to have a higher concentration in periodontal disease and has recently been implicated in both oral and distant cancers such as colorectal, gastrointestinal, esophageal, breast, pancreatic hepatocellular, and genitourinary cancers.

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Cancer disclosure represents a complex healthcare dynamic. Physicians or caregivers may be prompted to withhold diagnosis information from patients. This study aims to comprehensively map and synthesize available evidence about diagnosis nondisclosure regarding head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

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Purpose: A MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) is aimed at generating a concise tool for clinicians that concentrates practical information needed for the management of oral complications of cancer patients. This CPS raises awareness to the prevention of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in patients with breast cancer treated with adjuvant bone-modifying agents (BMA).

Methods: This CPS was developed based on a critical evaluation of the literature followed by a structured discussion of a group of leading experts, members of the Oral Care Study Group of MASCC/ISOO.

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Purpose: A MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) is aimed at generating a concise tool for clinicians, which concentrates on practical information needed for the management of oral complications of cancer patients. This CPS is focused on the current understanding of controversies that may arise while providing basic oral care in hemato-oncology patients and hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients (HCT). The CPS will summarize and elucidate controversies that have appeared in the literature and professional discussions.

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Purpose: A MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) is aimed at generating a concise tool for clinicians, which concentrates practical information needed for the management of oral complications of cancer patients. This CPS is focused on the management of oral manifestations of chronic graft-versus-host-disease (cGVHD).

Methods: This CPS was developed based on critical evaluation of the literature followed by a structured discussion of a group of leading experts, members of the Oral Care Study Group of MASCC/ISOO.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Developed by leading experts, the statement summarizes key findings from current literature on the heightened risk of oral cancer—especially squamous cell carcinoma—in allogeneic HCT recipients, particularly those with chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD).
  • * Clinicians are urged to conduct regular oral cancer screenings for HCT survivors and educate patients on avoiding cancer-promoting behaviors; further research is needed to understand the role of HPV in oral cancer following HCT.
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Sensory deficits affect awareness of the environment and information processing, leading to dysfunction that may have significant consequences. Deterioration of taste and/or smell sensation has been linked to impaired nutritional intake, and overall decreased quality of life (QoL). Recent data suggest that loss of these senses is also associated with cognitive decline and worse overall cancer treatment prognosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the risk of severe oral mucositis (SOM) in patients undergoing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis during hematopoietic cell transplantation, focusing on methotrexate (MTX) versus other agents.
  • Using a thorough analysis of published studies, researchers found that patients on MTX or MTX-inclusive regimens had a significantly higher risk of SOM compared to those receiving non-MTX treatments.
  • The findings suggest that alternatives like mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), folinic acid (FA), and lower doses of MTX may reduce the severity of mucositis, highlighting a need for more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on MTX to optimize patient
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Purpose: The number of older people with poor oral health diagnosed with cancer is increasing rapidly. However, integration of oral health in cancer care for older people to prevent or minimize oral health complications of cancer treatments is uncommon, except in head and neck oncology. The aim of this review is to describe the need, role of, and factors influencing the integration of oral health(care) into the treatment of older people with cancer.

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Introduction: The introduction of targeted therapy and immunotherapy has tremendously changed the clinical outcomes and prognosis of cancer patients. Despite innovative pharmacological therapies and improved radiotherapy (RT) techniques, patients continue to suffer from side effects, of which oral mucositis (OM) is still the most impactful, especially for quality of life.

Areas Covered: We provide an overview of current advances in cancer pharmacotherapy and RT, in relation to their potential to cause OM, and of the less explored and more recent literature reports related to the best management of OM.

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Purpose: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a debilitating side effect of antiresorptive and antiangiogenic agents that can lead to progressive bone destruction in the maxillofacial region. Dental surgery, including tooth extractions, commonly trigger the onset of MRONJ. While guidelines suggest avoiding extraction when possible, complete avoidance is not always feasible, as necrosis can develop from dental and periodontal disease without dental procedures.

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Burning mouth, also referred to as oral dysesthesia, is an underreported condition among cancer patients that may represent an early symptom of cancer or an adverse effect of treatment. This review sought to characterize this symptom in oncology care where burning symptoms may occur. A systematic review of the literature was performed based on the PRISMA statement, and the protocol was registered at PROSPERO database.

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Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are FDA-approved for various cancers, yet their orofacial immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remain poorly understood. Our two-center retrospective study aims to better understand the prevalence and nature of these orofacial irAEs.

Methods: We retrospectively collected demographics, ICI details, and onset of orofacial irAEs in ICI-treated patients at University of California San Francisco and City of Hope (2013-2021).

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Neutropenic ulcerations are characterized by mucosal ulcerations which occur in the presence of neutropenia, suggesting a direct link between neutropenia and mucosal ulceration. An oral ulcer can be labeled as "neutropenic" only if the patients have primary (typically congenital) or secondary neutropenia, and neutropenia is the sole causative factor. Oral mucosal ulcers observed in patients undergoing oncologic therapy may also be termed as "neutropenic ulcers", but the pathogenesis of these oral ulcers more likely involves mucosal events related to trauma, microbial factors, and direct cytotoxicity.

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Patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant may experience graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in which donor immune cells cause an immune reaction in host tissues. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines are highly effective in prevention of severe coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) disease, but the vaccine can result in immune activation and GVHD. Herein, we report 4 cases of oral manifestations that may have been stimulated by COVID-19 or vaccination with Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

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Delivering bad news has been widely studied in cancer, thus, this scoping review aims to identify the available evidence concerning the communication of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and their clinical and psychosocial impacts. A search was performed using electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science) and one grey literature database (Google Scholar). Studies focused on communicating the diagnosis of OPMDs and the patients' perceptions were included.

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