Several methods of oral cancer treatments exist today. Some of them include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Some of them involve carrier-based drug delivery systems.
Surgery
Surgical treatments for oral cancer can be performed in a variety of ways depending on the location of the tumor. Some treatments can be relatively simple while others can require a longer hospital stay and more complex reconstruction. Regardless of the type of treatment, the goal is to remove the cancer while preserving the function of the mouth.
If cancer has spread to the jawbone, the surgeon may also have to remove part or all of the bone. In addition, the surgeon may need to remove teeth, if they are affected.
Another surgery for oral cancer involves removing the hard palate, or bony roof of the mouth. Surgeons may use dental implants to replace teeth that are removed during the procedure.
Sometimes, a surgeon will perform a skin graft to repair the wound. These grafts are made of tissue from the patient’s forearm or thigh. These grafts will help the patient retain the ability to speak and swallow.
Chemotherapy
During your treatment for oral cancer, you may have side effects. These can be acute or chronic. However, most of the time, the side effects are only temporary. It’s important to speak with your health care team about them.
Complications can occur during chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or other therapies. The goal of these treatments is to cure or reduce the symptoms of oral cancer. These side effects can have an impact on your quality of life.
While most of these side effects are only temporary, some of them are permanent. Talk to your doctor about all the treatments available and discuss which ones you might be most interested in.
The most common complications related to chemotherapy are nausea and vomiting. In addition, it can cause mouth sores and changes in the lining of the mouth.
Radiation therapy
Generally speaking, radiation therapy for oral cancer treatments involves sending high-energy beams of particles through the skin towards the tumor. The aim is to destroy the remaining cancer cells in the oral cavity. The process usually takes several weeks. It is usually given as an outpatient treatment, although it may be combined with surgery or chemotherapy.
The side effects of radiotherapy depend on the type of cancer and the area being treated. Some symptoms include dry mouth, mouth sores, and tightening of the facial muscles. If you experience any of these, contact your doctor right away. Oftentimes, these side effects are only short-term, but they can also persist for months.
Patients also report less coughing and a reduction in the need for narcotic pain medications. Other side effects include nausea, hair loss, and changes in taste.
Carrier-based drug delivery systems
Various forms of oral cancer treatments are available in the market. Some of the chemotherapy agents are available in semi-solid dosage form. These agents are used to treat sarcoma and carcinoma.
In the recent times, drug delivery systems have become very important. This is because of the many challenges that can arise during the administration of drugs. These include ineffective therapy, delayed diagnosis, and high mortality rates.
One of the main challenges that can arise during the delivery of drugs is that of low bioavailability. This is a problem because some of the drugs have poor water and aqueous solubility. In order to overcome this challenge, a carrier system has been developed. This type of system is able to deliver natural based active compounds to the body. It also has the ability to modify the release of active ingredients into the body.
Controlled drug delivery systems
Having a targeted drug delivery system is one of the greatest challenges of cancer treatment. For successful delivery of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs, advanced technology must be used. In the recent years, many advancements have been made in the development of various drug delivery systems.
These new routes of administration are being explored to increase bioavailability and improve toxicity in the body. It is important to develop novel therapeutic techniques that will result in improved individual survival rates. The goal of cancer treatment is to destroy all cancer cells, but at the same time to avoid damaging healthy cells. In this regard, the use of nanotechnology plays an important role.
There are two basic types of delivery systems. First, passive nanostructures deliver the drug through a hydrophobic effect. Second, conjugation techniques can be used to enhance drug delivery. In the latter approach, the drug is directly conjugated to a carrier nanostructure material.
