Faculty Bibliography

Two former U.S. presidents, Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland, were diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 1884 and 1893, respectively. A historical review of the risk factors, diagnoses, and treatments is examined and compared with modern-day interpretations. A comparison was made using the original diagnoses with today's equivalent diagnosis. Different treatment outcomes at the time of the original diagnoses relative to today's treatment are reviewed. Clinicians must be familiar with risk factors, signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of head and neck cancer.

The choice of treatment for head and neck cancer usually depends on the origin and stage. The majority of patients undergo radiation therapy or surgery, or a combination of both, and caring for individuals undergoing radiotherapy involves multifaceted management. Counseling patients before, during, and after head and neck radiotherapy is important to help them become aware of several oral complications that may be severe and may interfere with everyday living. The pharmacist's role is to help lessen oral discomfort and morbidity in this population. The three major types of treatment for managing head and neck cancer are radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy.1 The majority of patients undergo radiation therapy or surgery, or a combination of both. Chemotherapy is usually used as a supplement to the above treatments. Combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy does not improve long-term survival rates over those achieved by radiotherapy and surgery. The choice of treatment usually depends on the origin and stage of the head and neck cancer. Approximately 50,000 new head and neck cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States, and there are about 350,000 deaths yearly worldwide. Most head and neck cancer starts in the squamous cells of the mucosal tissue that lines the head and neck region, such as the tonsils and tongue. Squamous cell carcinoma represents more than 90% of all head and neck cancers. Head and neck cancer can occur anywhere in the head and neck region, and radiation therapy to this area usually results in numerous oral adverse effects that require additional palliative treatment to alleviate these troublesome symptoms

Many dentists are unaware of the documented adverse drug reaction of doxycycline-induced dizziness. Because doxycycline is frequently prescribed in dentistry, it is important for dentists and patients to be aware of this significant adverse reaction to prevent medical complications. A clinical case is reported in which a patient developed dizziness after taking doxycycline that was prescribed following periodontal surgery. The dizziness resolved when the doxycycline was stopped. Patients and dentists should be educated to recognize the signs and symptoms of doxycycline's adverse reactions

Many dentists are unaware of the documented adverse drug reaction of doxycycline: induced dizziness. Because doxycycline is frequently prescribed in dentistry, it is important for dentists and patients to be aware of this significant adverse reaction to prevent medical complications. A clinical case is reported in which a patient developed dizziness after taking doxycycline that was prescribed following periodontal surgery. The dizziness resolved when the doxycycline was stopped. Patients and dentists should be educated to recognize the signs and symptoms of doxycycline's adverse reactions