Nearly half of people undergoing active cancer treatment at a Belgian hospital reported that their oral health had deteriorated since starting therapy, according to a cross-sectional survey conducted at Ghent University Hospital. The study, published in Supportive Care in Cancer, surveyed 188 patients receiving active cancer treatment between July 1 and September 3, 2024.
The survey used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Participants completed a questionnaire covering sociodemographic and disease characteristics, daily oral health behaviours, patient-reported oral health status, and oral health–related quality of life. The quality-of-life assessment drew on selected items from two validated instruments: the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP).
Eligible participants were patients receiving active cancer treatment at the hospital during the study window. The response rate was 35.9%. The cohort was predominantly female, at 72.9%, and the largest diagnostic group was breast cancer patients, who made up 42.6% of respondents.
Despite the reported deterioration, most participants rated their oral health positively. Good to very good oral health was reported by 62.3% of respondents. However, 46.3% said their oral health had worsened since the start of their cancer treatment, indicating that subjective ratings alone may not capture the full burden of treatment-related oral complications.
Oral symptoms were widespread. A total of 68.1% of participants reported at least one oral symptom. The most common were xerostomia, or dry mouth, reported by 35.1%; altered taste, reported by 30.3%; aphthous ulcers, also reported by 30.3%; and oral pain, reported by 20.2%.
The consequences extended beyond symptoms into daily functioning. Two-thirds of participants, 66.0%, reported at least one oral health–related difficulty in daily life. The most frequent difficulties were biting, reported by 34.6%, and chewing, reported by 29.2%.
Quality-of-life impacts spanned both physical and psychological domains. Physical oral pain was reported at least occasionally by 29.3% of participants. Psychological impacts were reported by between 10.6% and 14.4% of participants, a smaller but still notable share of the cohort.
The authors frame these findings against a changing cancer landscape. Advances in cancer treatment have improved survival, creating a growing population of people living at risk of treatment-related complications, including oral health problems. Such complications affect morbidity, healthcare costs, and overall health-related quality of life, which motivated the study’s aim to explore patient-reported oral health and its perceived impact on quality of life in cancer patients.
The study’s authors conclude that oral health problems were common during active cancer therapy and substantially affected oral health–related quality of life. They highlight the need for a person-centred, multidisciplinary approach that includes oral health guidance and referral pathways for patients undergoing treatment.
As a single-centre survey with a moderate response rate and a cohort dominated by female breast cancer patients, the findings describe one institution’s patient population during a defined three-month period in 2024 rather than a national or longitudinal picture. The authors present the results as descriptive, documenting the prevalence of self-reported oral symptoms and quality-of-life impacts among patients in active treatment at Ghent University Hospital.
Subject of Research: Patient-reported oral health and oral health–related quality of life in cancer patients receiving active treatment
Article Title: Oral health in cancer patients: results of a monocentric survey
Article References: West, P., De Vis, L., Dockers, D., De Pauw, A., Decruyenaere, A., Phlypo, I., Janssens, B., & Naert, E. (2026). Oral health in cancer patients: results of a monocentric survey. Supportive Care in Cancer, 34(11), Article 1136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11378-3
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-026-11378-3
Keywords: oral health, cancer treatment, quality of life, xerostomia, cross-sectional survey, OHIP-14, OIDP, supportive care, breast cancer, Ghent University Hospital, Oral, health
News Source: Nathaniel Bowman. (October 29, 2026). Oral health problems common during active cancer treatment, survey finds. Scienmag.
