Mucositis
Oral mucositis: the hidden side of cancer therapy - Claudio Pulito
image by: Michael Belcher
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Don’t use mixed medication mouthwash, commonly termed “magic mouthwash,” to prevent or manage cancer treatment-induced oral mucositis
Oral mucositis is a painful and debilitating side effect of some chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy that includes the oral mucosa in the treatment field. Painful mucositis impairs the ability to eat and drink fluids and impacts quality of life. Oral mucositis can result in the need for hospitalization for pain control and provision of total parenteral nutrition in order to maintain adequate nutritional intake during cancer treatment.
Effective interventions to reduce severity, duration, and pain from oral mucositis can have a significant impact on health care costs as well as patient well-being. Incremental costs of mucositis more than double when grades are severe, and…
Resources
Chemo Mouth: It’s Real, Common and Manageable
It’s well known that chemotherapy can take a toll on your body. But many patients are surprised by one of the most common side effects of this treatment: oral mucositis – also called “chemo mouth.”
Management of Cancer Therapy–Associated Oral Mucositis
Mucositis is a common and feared complication of anticancer therapy that can affect up to 90% of certain populations of patients with cancer. Even seemingly uncomplicated mucositis, which is often self-limited, can result in intense patient discomfort and decline in quality of life.
Doxepin or Diphenhydramine–Lidocaine–Antacid Mouthwash Effective for Oral Mucositis Pain
Doxepin mouthwash or diphenhydramine – lidocaine – antacid mouthwash might be effective in reducing radiotherapy-related mucositis pain, but further research is needed to assess longer-term efficacy and safety.
Management of Oral Mucositis in Patients with Cancer
Current clinical management of oral mucositis is largely focused on palliative measures such as pain management, nutritional support and maintenance of good oral hygiene. However, several promising therapeutic agents are in various stages of clinical development for the management of oral mucositis.
Mucositis and mouth care
Mucositis during cancer treatment cannot be avoided; however, in order to reduce the risk, good oral hygiene should be encouraged to keep the mouth clean, moist and free from infection.
Oral mucositis
Oral mucositis is one of the most common complications of cancer therapy. It is a nonhematologic complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy and reduces the quality of life. It is estimated that 40% the cases on standard chemotherapy may develop oral mucositis. Patients receiving radiation, especially in the cases of head and neck cancer, have 30%–60% chances of developing mucositis.
Oral Mucositis – A Common Cancer Therapy Adverse Reaction
... oral mucositis has become one of the most troubling dose-limiting toxicities for patients. However, given the tremendous impact that these oral toxicities have on the patient, this opens room for the development of effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of this common cancer treatment adverse reaction.
Oral Mucositis — The Search for a Solution
Numerous studies in animals and humans have tried to find a means of preventing and treating oral mucositis. . . .
Status of Treatment and Prophylaxis for Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) represents a major complication in HNC patients undergoing RT, occurring in almost all patients treated for cancers of the mouth, oropharynx, and nasopharynx.
Strategies in Management of Oral Mucositis
Although, the clinical impact of oral mucositis might be under-appreciated by most health care professionals, the same is certainly not held by individuals who report mucositis.
When Patients Need Opioids to Ease the Pain
The drugs had also inflamed and eroded the tissue lining the inside of his mouth and esophagus. The pain that resulted made it nearly impossible for him to consume even the thinnest of liquids. One patient told me that with this condition, called mucositis, drinking water was like trying to swallow glass.
Don’t use mixed medication mouthwash, commonly termed “magic mouthwash,” to prevent or manage cancer treatment-induced oral mucositis
There is no evidence to show that mixed medication formulations are effective to reduce severity of oral mucositis or relieve pain from oral mucositis. There is evidence to show that magic mouthwash is no more effective for management of oral mucositis than salt and sodium
ProThelial
ProThelial™ is polymerized sucralfate malate paste that forms a protective layer over the oral mucosa by adhering to the mucosal surface, protecting against further irritation and relieving pain. The paste is used in the management of mouth lesions of all types, including stomatitis and mucositis caused by chemoradiation therapy.
Mucositis Study Group
The Mucositis Study Group's major goal is to improve outcomes of patients experiencing oral and gastrointestinal mucositis associated with anticancer therapies.
Oral Cancer Foundation
Mucositis occurs when cancer treatments break down the rapidly divided epithelial cells lining the gastro-intestinal tract (which goes from the mouth to the anus), leaving the mucosal tissue open to ulceration and infection.
Portal MyHealth
There is currently no single specific treatment that is effective to manage mucositis. Most treatments aim on reducing the mucositis severity and adverse effect.
ScienceDirect
Mucositis is defined as inflammation of the oral and gastrointestinal mucosa secondary to cancer therapies.
StatPearls
Oral mucositis is a severely debilitating condition. It can occur due to radiation therapy (RT) to the head and neck, chemotherapeutic agents, high-dose chemotherapy agents, hematopoeitic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
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