What are the guidelines for follow-up care after a patient has been diagnosed with oral cancer?

Follow-up care for patients diagnosed with oral cancer should be structured and risk-adapted, using locally agreed protocols to monitor for disease recurrence and second primary cancers. This follow-up aims to improve quality of life, including addressing psychosocial issues, and may incorporate advanced imaging techniques such as narrow-band imaging to enhance detection of recurrence.

At the end of curative treatment, patients and their carers must receive tailored information about symptoms of recurrence and late effects of treatment.

Multidisciplinary teams should assess and support rehabilitation needs, including nutritional support, swallowing and mouth-opening exercises, voice therapy, and shoulder rehabilitation as appropriate.

Management of complications such as osteoradionecrosis should be considered, with surgery to remove necrotic bone and establish soft tissue coverage as a primary option; hyperbaric oxygen therapy or medical management should only be considered within clinical trials.

Smoking cessation support should be offered at diagnosis to reduce risks of treatment side effects, recurrence, and second primary cancers.