Clinical Update: Prevention and Management of Oral Mucositis in Patients with Cancer

Developing Ice Cream for Mucositis Management and Improving the Nutritional Support for Pediatric Cancer Patients

  Introduction: Mucositis is one of the main complications of cancer treatment, associated with several nutritional limitations and the ability to cause secondary infections. Cryotherapy is a low-cost treatment consistent with clinical practice guidelines for treating patients with mucositis. Objective: To develop and evaluate the acceptance of ice cream for the prevention and treatment of mucositis and nutritional support of pediatric cancer patients. Method: Based on knowledge about the side effects of chemotherapy (especially in oral and gastrointestinal mucositis) and the nutritional needs of pediatric cancer patients, a literature search for ingredients that could meet the study’s objectives was undertaken. Food Technology Laboratory of the São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu campus, and in partnership with Sorvetes Naturais ice cream shop in the municipality of Botucatu-SP, produced the ice cream. An acceptance test was applied in ten patients undergoing cancer treatment and 30 individuals in the control group using the 5-point mixed facial hedonic scale. Results: The final formula consisted of semi-skimmed lactose-free milk, extra virgin coconut oil, oat flour, honey, chamomile, Fortini® food supplement, demerara sugar, and stabilizer/emulsifier. 90% of patients undergoing cancer treatment rated the final product as “liked” or “loved it,” compared to 63% of the control group. Conclusion: Development of an ice cream that met the objectives of the study was possible through the choice of its composition. Honey and chamomile can favor the prevention of mucositis, and other ingredients offer the caloric density and protein supply.

The impact of oral health education on the incidence and severity of oral mucositis in pediatric cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Oral health education is an effective measure to prevent oral mucositis (OM) by improving self-management and effectively engaging patients in their health care. This systematic review aimed to determine the impact of oral health education interventions on the incidence and severity of OM. Bibliographical searches were carried out by two independent examiners in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library, and SIGLE, until June 2022. The eligibility criteria were based on the PICO strategy, considering studies with pediatric oncology patients, aged 0 to 19 years, who had attended oral health education activities and had been examined for the incidence and/or severity of OM. Data were extracted for qualitative synthesis and organized in spreadsheets. The quality assessment of the selected studies was performed using the ROBINS-I tool. Meta-analysis was based on the group frequencies of OM ulcerative lesions, adopting a significance level of 5%. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to define the certainty of the evidence. The primary search retrieved 1827 articles. After removing duplicate records and screening titles and abstracts for eligibility, a total of 21 articles were selected for full-text analysis. Of these, seven eligible studies were included for data extraction and qualitative synthesis, while four studies were selected for quantitative synthesis. All studies had a longitudinal design; three performed a before-after comparison and four were controlled studies. OM was assessed by the following scales: OAG, WHO, ChIMES, and WCCNR. While data analysis of the selected studies was heterogeneous, the implementation of oral health education strategies was found to reduce the incidence and severity of OM during the follow-up period. The meta-analysis showed a favorable outcome for the educational intervention. The likelihood of patients attending oral health education activities to manifest OM ulcerative lesions was significantly lower (P = 0.002) than that of the control. The GRADE analysis presented a low certainty of the evidence. To conclude, oral health education interventions improved OM outcomes in pediatric oncology patients with a low quality of evidence.

Ecdysterone Attenuates the Development of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Rats at Early Stage

Oral mucositis is a common adverse reaction of radiotherapy used for head and neck cancers. Our research investigates the therapeutic effect and potential mechanisms of ecdysterone, a compound which was used as a functional food additive, isolated from the root of medicine-food herbs Achyranthes bidentata (Blume), on radiation-induced oral mucositis in rats during the early development stages of mucositis. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single 20 Gy X-ray dose to the head and neck after placement of each animal in a specially-constructed 5-mm lead jig. At 24 h postirradiation, ecdysterone was administrated orally. Therapeutic effects of ecdysterone were investigated by observing weight changes and development of mucositis on days 5 and 10 after treatment. Determination of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde concentration was performed 5 days after treatment. H&E and leukocyte common antigen staining and TUNEL assays were performed 10 days after treatment. After 10 days of treatment, total protein from the tongue samples was extracted and Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate changes in protein expression. The results of this study showed that ecdysterone prevented the development of radiation-induced oral mucositis in rats during the early stages. Ecdysterone significantly attenuated radiation-induced decrease in cellular superoxide dismutase concentration and increase in malondialdehyde concentration. Ecdysterone was also linked to up-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and down-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3. In conclusion, these findings suggest that orally administrated ecdysterone alleviates the development of radiation-induced oral mucositis in rats with remarkable anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic activities at early stages after irradiation.

Dosimetric parameters predict radiation-induced choanal stenosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Radiation-induced choanal stenosis (RICS) severely decreases life quality of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and originates from nasal mucositis, which depends on radiation dose. This self-controlled study aimed to find the correlations between dosimetric parameters and RICS.

METHODS

Totally 49 NPC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy from May 2010 to Aug. 2013 and diagnosed with RICS during follow-up were enrolled into this study. Minimum point dose, maximum point dose, mean dose (Dmean), dose covering ≥33% volume (D33), dose covering ≥66% volume (D66), and volume receiving ≥60 Gy (V60) were compared between the nasal cavities with and without RICS, through paired t-test. The parameters with difference would enter receiver operating characteristic analysis to determine their cutoff values. Then predicting abilities of the cutoff values were tested by Chi-square test.

RESULT

The nasal cavities with RICS appeared to have higher Dmean, D33, D66 and V60, compared with those without RICS (P values were 0.014, 0.003, 0.006 and 0.010). Dmean ≥54.22 Gy, D33 ≥ 61.96 Gy, D66 ≥ 46.50 Gy and V60 ≥ 48.13% were demonstrated to be related with a higher risk of RICS.

CONCLUSION

Dmean, D33, D66 and V60 of nasal cavity might be used as predictors of RICS. Their values needed to be controlled whenever possible, for ameliorating life quality of NPC patients.

Toxicity profile of Doxorubicin-Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin-Cyclophosphamide followed by Paclitaxel regimen and its associated factors among women with breast cancer in Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Management of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy is complicated by a very high rate of adverse drug reactions which is even more challenging in developing countries like Ethiopia where the toxicity profile of chemotherapy is lacking. The present study aimed at evaluating the toxicity profile of Doxorubicin-Cyclophosphamide (AC) and Doxorubicin-Cyclophosphamide→Paclitaxel (AC→T) regimens among 146 patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study, with the median of six months' follow-up, was conducted from January 1 to September 30, 2017 GC at the only nationwide oncology center, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Seventy-one patients received AC, while 75 received AC-T regimen. The toxicity with the highest grade during any cycle was considered as the toxicity grade for that patient. SPSS version 22 was used for analysis.

RESULTS

The overall frequent non-hematological adverse drug reactions reported for both regimens were fatigue 144 (98.7%), dysgeusia 142 (97.3%), skin hyperpigmentation 141 (96.6%), nausea 136 (93.2%), vomiting 129 (88.4%), gastritis 122 (83.6%), peripheral neuropathy 108 (74%), and myalgia/arthralgia 110 (75.3%). Neutropenia 107 (73.3%), leukopenia 102 (69.9%), and anemia 51 (34.9%) were the most frequent overall grade hematological toxicities reported. However, those received AC regimen suffered more from grade 2 and above leukopenia (35.2% vs. 17.3%, P = 0.014), anemia (16.9% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.004), and alkaline phosphatase increment (11.3% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.039) than AC-T regimen. On the contrary, those received AC-T regimen suffered more from severe arthralgia/myalgia (2.8% vs. 2%, P = 0.001), peripheral neuropathy (1.4% vs. 36%, P = 0.000), and gastritis (14.1% vs. 29.3%, P = 0.026) than AC regimen. Pretreatment blood cell counts, having stage IV breast tumor, older age, and lower body surface area were significant predictors of grade 2 to above hematological toxicities. Older age, arthralgia/myalgia, and skin hyperpigmentation occurred during the cohort were significant predictors of grade 2 to above oral mucositis, peripheral neuropathy, and fatigue, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients who received the AC regimen suffered more from hematological abnormalities, while those on the AC-T regimen experienced more of non-hematological toxicities. Overall, we report high incidences of AC and AC-T regimens-induced toxicities in Ethiopian women with breast cancer, and they may require prior support based on pretreatment blood counts, age and body surface area, and close follow-up during chemotherapy.

The Relationship of Oral Care Practice at Home with Mucositis Incidence in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Mucositis is a common and devastating side effect of chemotherapeutic agents in children undergoing chemotherapy. The prevention and management of mucositis are necessary to improve these children's quality of life. Oral care is a recommended strategy for preventing and managing oral mucositis. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the relationship between oral care practice and mucositis incidence. A cross-sectional analytical design was used in this study. A total of 34 children from 3 to 12 years of age with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who were in the last cycle of chemotherapy were recruited through a snowball sampling method. The Oral Assessment Guide (OAG) was administered to assess the severity of mucositis. A majority of the participants (51.5%) had mucositis after completing the last cycle of chemotherapy. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between their oral care practice at home and mucositis incidence. These results show that oral care at home is linked with the incidence and severity of mucositis. Nurses should educate children with leukemia and their parents regarding good oral hygiene practice.

Oral pain associated with cancer therapy, a pain medicine perspective

Cancer therapy-induced oral mucositis (CTIOM) can cause intolerable oral pain resulting in difficulty in chewing, swallowing and speaking. Thus, leading to patients requiring aggressive measures, such as parenteral feeding, the placement of gastric feeding tubes and discontinuation of oncologic treatments. Although, pain is the debilitating symptom, current efforts seem to focus independently in the histological damage, not in pain and symptom care. Current strategies for managing pain from CTIOM entail maintaining oral hygiene and the use of oral rinses, topical anesthetics, prophylactic antimicrobials and systemic analgesics such as opioids. Novel therapies, such as methylene blue oral rinse, are being investigated, with positive outcomes. Therefore, there is a need to identify treatment modalities for pain of CTIOM. Ideally, this should be noninvasive, safe and cost-effective, while providing sustained analgesia.

Pharmacological modulation of radiation-induced oral mucosal complications

Radiation-induced mucositis is a common toxicity, especially in patients with head and neck cancers. Despite recent technological advances in radiation therapy, such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy, radiation-induced mucositis is still causing treatment disruptions, negatively affecting patients' long and short term quality of life, and impacting medical resources use with economic consequences. The objective of this article was to review the latest updates in the management of radiation-induced mucositis, with a focus on pharmaceutical strategies for the prevention or treatment of mucositis. Although numerous studies analysing the prevention and management of oral radiation-induced mucositis have been conducted, there are still few reliable data to guide daily clinical practice. Furthermore, most of the tested drugs have shown no (anti-inflammatory cytokine, growth factors) or limited (palifermin) effect. Therapies for acute oral mucositis are predominantly focused on improving oral hygiene and providing symptoms control. Although low-level laser therapy proved efficient in preventing radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer, this intervention requires equipment and trained medical staff, and is therefore insufficiently developed in clinical routine. New effective pharmacological agents able to prevent or reverse radio-induced mucositis are required.

CE: Oral Care for Head and Neck Cancer Symptom Management

: An evidence-based practice change at a radiation oncology center in a large academic medical center was designed to reduce the severity of oral mucositis in adults receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. In the intervention described, patients were given newly created oral care kits and educational materials to improve their oral hygiene. Evaluations were conducted at three points during the project (before radiation treatment, during week 4 to 5 of treatment, and one month after treatment). At week 4 to 5-when the severity of oral mucositis is expected to peak-patients reported improved oral hygiene practices and reduced oral mucositis severity. The authors conclude that the use of these oral care kits and educational materials lessened the effects of oral mucositis during and after radiation treatment.

Oral Care: Exploring Education, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among Nurses Caring for Patients With Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients treated for breast cancer often experience severe oral complications, such as mucositis, xerostomia, and infections, which can result in dose reductions and treatment delays, affecting treatment outcomes.
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OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to explore oncology nurses' perceptions of their educational experiences, professional attitudes, and behavior related to providing oral healthcare education to patients with breast cancer.
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METHODS

The Oncology Nursing Society sent an email to 5,000 nursing team members who cared for patients with breast cancer, requesting participation in a web-based survey; 194 responses were received, with 164 meeting study eligibility.
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FINDINGS

More oral health-related education was received during clinical experiences than during formal or continuing education. Although patient-driven oral care and diagnostic efforts were frequent, actual behavior was less frequent. No major barriers to providing oral care were indicated. Increased oral health-related education and behavior correlated with the reported importance of increased oral health education for nurses.

Role of Gabapentin in Managing Mucositis Pain in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy to the Head and Neck

BACKGROUND

Oral mucositis (OM) is a painful and debilitating side effect that affects 80%-100% of patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. This dose-limiting side effect may potentially lead to pain, dehydration, malnutrition, infection, and treatment breaks. Treatment breaks can lead to decreased disease control and suboptimal patient outcomes. No primary prevention exists for OM, and management is focused on pain control. Compelling evidence exists that OM pain has somatic and neuropathic components.

OBJECTIVES

This article reviews the existing literature on the use of gabapentin (Neurontin®) as a co-analgesic in treating the neuropathic pain in OM.

METHODS

A literature search was performed using CINAHL® and PubMed with the search terms gabapentin and oral mucositis. The selected articles were briefly screened for relevance, and three were included in this review.

FINDINGS

No systematic reviews exist on the role of gabapentin for neuropathic pain in radiation-induced OM. Two retrospective studies concluded that gabapentin reduced escalation of opioid doses and unplanned treatment breaks. One retrospective study demonstrated favorable swallowing outcomes. Pain and OM are nursing-sensitive outcomes that can be significantly affected by evidence-based nursing interventions.

The effect of royal jelly on oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of royal jelly on oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The study population consisted of 103 patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Oral mucositis was graded according to the World Health Organization criteria, and patients were divided into 2 groups. All patients received mouthwash therapy with benzydamine hydrochloride and nystatin rinses. In addition, patients in the experimental group received royal jelly. The mean resolution time of oral mucositis in the royal jelly group was significantly shorter than that of the control group. As a result, the study results demonstrate that royal jelly administrated by a certain procedure improved the signs and symptoms of oral mucositis and markedly shortened its healing time.

Investigation of the effects of planned mouth care education on the degree of oral mucositis in pediatric oncology patients

This study was designed as a longitudinal study with the purpose of investigating the effects of providing mouth care education to pediatric oncology patients on the degree of oral mucositis. The study sample included 16 children aged 8 to 18 years who were hospitalized in the pediatric oncology and hematology clinics at a university hospital. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the degree of mucositis before and after the education given to children undergoing chemotherapy (P < .05). The median pain values were significantly different before and after the education (P < .05) as well. It was also found that there was a strong positive statistically significant correlation between the degree of mucositis and mean pain score both before and after the education (P < .001). Consequently, it is reported that both the degree of mucositis and pain levels decreased when children were given planned mouth care education before chemotherapy and when they regularly performed mouth care.

[Incidence and factors influencing oral mucositis in patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

PURPOSE

This study was done to examine the incidence of oral mucositis in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and to identify factors influencing oral mucositis and patient outcomes according to severity.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, data were collected from electronic medical records of 222 patients who had received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Oral mucositis was evaluated using WHO's assessment scale. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, Spearman's correlation, Ordinal logistic regression, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

A total of 69.8% of the patients evaluated developed oral mucositis (grade II and over). As a results of ordinal regression, factors influencing oral mucositis severity were found to be diagnosis, type of transplantation, oxygen inhalation and the number of antiemetics administration before transplantation. The severity of oral mucositis was found to increase the days of hospitalization, days of TPN administration, days of using antibiotics and the number and dosage of analgesics.

CONCLUSION

The results would help predict severity of oral mucositis in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and suggest that provision of appropriate nursing assessment and oral care would improve patient outcomes.

Cryotherapy effect on oral mucositis severity among recipients of bone marrow transplantation: a literature review

Oral mucositis is a distressing toxic effect of cancer therapy and one of the major side effects of the myeloablative conditioning used to prepare patients for bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Oral cryotherapy is one of the recent modalities used to prevent and manage oral mucositis. The purpose of this review is to clarify the cryotherapy effect on oral mucositis severity among patients receiving myeloablative conditioning followed by BMT. A literature search was performed using six different electronic databases: CINAHL®, MEDLINE®, Nursing Ovid, PubMed, Springer, and Science Direct. Six articles were deemed relevant and included in this review. Oral mucositis increases mortality rate, length of hospital stay, opioid use, and the need for parenteral nutrition usage. It also decreases patient's quality of life and his or her desire to complete treatment. However, oral cryotherapy significantly minimizes the incidence and severity of oral mucositis and decreases secondary oral mucositis complications. Using oral cryotherapy concurrently with a regular oral care protocol can improve its efficacy for preventing and managing oral mucositis. Additional studies should be conducted to create standard oral cryotherapy protocols.