A brief presentation of my review on the psychological aspects of oral cancer patients. For further queries or references please send a mail on dr.mathewthomasm@gmail.com. NOTE- 6D's- 1. death 2. dependency (on family/spouse) 3. disfigurement 4. disability 5. disruption (e.g. relationships) 6. discomfort (pain)

2. CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION.
• PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE DIAGONSIS.
• PSYCHOLOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE TREATMENT.
• PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS POST-TREATMENT AND DURING RECOVERY.
• THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.
• CONCLUSION.
• REFERENCES.

3. • Oral cancer is the 5th most common
type of cancer in the Indian sub-
continent with 20 per 100000
affected and 5 people succumbing
to it every hour everyday.
• The burden of oral cancer is often
manifested in psychological
dysfunction but it is poorly studied
or understood .
INTRODUCTION

4. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS
OF THE DIAGONSIS
PANIC AND APPREHENSION
FEAR 0F 6 D’s
ANXIOUS WAIT
GUILT
PROGNOSIS UNCERTAINTY
FEELING HOPELESS AND LOST
DEPRESSION

5. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF
THE TREATMENT
• ANXIETY of the treatment outcomes
• SIDE EFFECTS of the treatment procedures
• COST of treatment
• CONCERNS of dependents and success of the treatment
• PHOBIA of treatments

6. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS
POST-TREATMENT AND
DURING RECOVERY

7. LOSS OF SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE
DEPRESSION
SELF-ISOLATION
RESORTING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE
REDUCTION IN ANXIETY
DEPRESSION AND FEAR
OF DEATH IN
REMISSION CASES.

8. THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE!!
Prevention is
better than
cure. CARE TEAM
FAMILY
PATIENT
Better
understanding
and research

9. “ You can be either a victim
or a survivor . It’s just the
mind-set.”

10. REFERENCES
• Khurshid A Mattoo et al;Evaluation of Degree of Thanatophobia Associated with Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Oral
Cancer Patients ;American Journal of Medical Case Reports, 2014, Vol. 2, No. 12, 272-275 .
• A Self-Regulation Intervention to Improve Psychological Outcomes in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer and Their
Caregivers .
• Maria Hewitt, Sheldon Greenfield, and Ellen Stovall; From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition.
• Sangeet Kumar Agarwal et al ;Prospective evaluation of the quality of life of oral tongue cancer patients before and
after the treatment; : 10.3978/j.issn.2224-5820.2014.03.02 .
• American Cancer Society.
• Ligia Drovandi Braga Rotundo et al ;Are recurrent denture-related sores associated with the risk of oral cancer? A
case control study; Rev Bras Epidemiol 2013; 16(3): 705-15.
• Mihaela Monica Scutariu et al ;ORAL CANCER: FROM MEDICAL PROBLEM TO ETHICAL CONFLICTS AND DILEMMAS;
Romanian Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 7, No. 4, October – December 2009 .
• Aya Koizumi et al;Changes in the Psychological Characteristics of Oral Cancer Patients in the Perioperative Period: A
Quantitative Evaluation; J Med Dent Sci 2013； 60： 41－53.
• Chandra Shekar BR et al;Cultural factors in Health and Oral health; IJDA, 1(1), 2009.
• Dr. Zahid Ullah Khan;An Overview of Oral Cancer in Indian Subcontinent and Recommendations to Decrease its
Incidence; Webmedcentral.com
• After-effects of oral cancer surgery forces patients into unemployment and depression ;
oralcancernews.org/wp/after-effects-of-oral-cancer-surgery-forces-patients-into-unemployment-and-depression/

11. REFERENCES (cont.)
• Atanu Bhanja et al;Assessment of Quality of Life in Oral Cancer Patients Following Pectoralis Major
Myocutaneous Flap Reconstruction ; ISSN (Online): 2393-915X; (Print): 2454-7379.
• Mario Airoldi; FUNCTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION AFTER FLAP RECONSTRUCTION PLUS
RADIOTHERAPY IN ORAL CANCER; (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/hed.21471.
• Optimal care pathway for people with head and neck cancers; www.health.vic.gov.au/cancer.
• Antonia Kolokythas;Long-Term Surgical Complications in the Oral Cancer Patient: a Comprehensive
Review. Part II; J Oral Maxillofac Res 2010 (Jul-Sep) | vol. 1 | No 3 | e2 .
• Dental care and oral health ; alzheimers.org.uk.
• Bharti Tomar;The Psychiatric and Dental Interrelationship; DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 14 No.1.
• Gerry F. Funk et al ;Long-term Health-Related Quality of Life in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer; Arch
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012;138(2):123-133.
• Oral health; www.who.int
• Donna Domino ;Study: Oral cancers take financial toll ; www.drbicuspid.com
• Emotional effects of radiotherapy ; www.cancerresearchuk.org
• Cherith J. Semple et al ;Psychosocial Interventions for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer; Cancer Nurs.
2004;27(6):434-441

12. REFERENCES (cont.)
• Barrios et al. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes (2015) 13:9 .
• Treatment for head and neck cancer ; Macmillan Cancer Support 2016.
• ]ulie A. Theurer et al;Effects of Oral Cancer Treatment: Speech, Swallowing, and Quality of Life
Outcomes ; Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Vol. 27, No. 4, Winter 2003 .
• Simon N Rogers et al;The Prosthodontic Pathway of the Oral Cancer Patient; Dent Update 2012;
39: 98–106.
• M. Bryant Howren et al;Psychological Factors Associated with Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
and Survivorship: Evidence and Opportunities for Behavioral Medicine; J Consult Clin Psychol .
2013 April ; 81(2): 299–317. doi:10.1037/a0029940.
• Mouth cancer ; betterhealthchannel.
• Eusebio Torres Carranza;Assessment of quality of life in oral cancer; Medicina Oral S. L. C.I.F. B
96689336 - ISSN 1698-694.
• Prevalence of Oral Cancer in India; Varshitha . A/J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. Vol. 7(10), 2015, 845-848.
• Jaishree Thanvi et al ;Impact of dental considerations on the quality of life of oral cancer patients;
Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology | Jan-Mar 2014 | Vol 35 | Issue 1.
• Rawal V S et al;Psycho-social issues in oral oro-pharyngeal cancer; Indian J.Prev.Soc.med vol 34
no. 3 & 4 2003.