[Oral toxicity of targeted anticancer therapies]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Oral Medicine
• Dermatology

Background:

• Targeted anticancer therapies are increasingly used, but their oral toxicities are not well-characterized.
• Aphthous-like lesions from mTOR inhibitors are known, but other oral manifestations require detailed description.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the main oral lesions associated with targeted anticancer therapies.
• To describe characteristic clinical manifestations of these novel drug classes.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical data and literature on oral toxicities of targeted anticancer therapies.
• Description of specific oral lesions linked to drug classes like anti-EGFR, BRAF inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors, and imatinib.

Main Results:

• Common oral lesions include mucositis (anti-EGFR), hyperkeratosis (BRAF inhibitors), and benign migratory glossitis.
• Osteonecrosis of the jaw is observed with angiogenesis inhibitors; imatinib is linked to specific oral lesions.

Conclusions:

• Targeted anticancer therapies induce a spectrum of oral toxicities beyond aphthous-like lesions.
• Accurate characterization of these lesions is crucial for clinical management and patient care.