MASCC/ISOO expert opinion on the management of oral problems in patients with advanced cancer

Purpose: The Palliative Care Study Group in conjunction with the Oral Care Study Group of the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) formed a sub-group to develop evidence-based guidance on the management of common oral problems in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: This guidance was developed in accordance with the MASCC Guidelines Policy. A search strategy for Medline was developed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were explored for relevant reviews and trials, respectively. Guidance was categorised by the level of evidence, and “category of guideline” (i.e., “recommendation”, “suggestion” or “no guideline possible”). Results: Twelve generic suggestions (level of evidence – 5), three problem-specific recommendations and 14 problem-specific suggestions were generated. The generic suggestions relate to oral hygiene measures, assessment of problems, principles of management, re-assessment of problems and the role of dental/oral medicine professionals. Conclusions: This guidance provides a framework for the management of common oral problems in patients with advanced cancer, although every patient requires individualised management

How we use noncancer-specific survival prediction in geriatric oncology: A Young International Society of Geriatric Oncology and Nursing & Allied Health Interest Group initiative

An important aspect of the assessment of the health status of an older adult with cancer is estimating noncancer-specific survival, since this can be used to weigh the potential benefits and risks of treatment against the patient's all-cause mortality. Geriatric oncology guidelines issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommend the use of validated tools to predict noncancer-specific survival, also labeled “life expectancy calculators”, in all patients aged 65 years and older before starting oncological treatment [1,2]. In addition, the estimation of noncancer-specific survival can also be integrated into the decision-making process for other medical interventions relevant for geriatric oncology, such as the decision of stopping screening in an older individual, or for determining the appropriateness of interventions related to the management of comorbidities in older adults with a cancer diagnosis. In this brief report, we outline some of the existing resources for estimating noncancer-specific survival and provide practical information as to how to use them in clinical practice