Professional oral health care reduces oral mucositis and febrile neutropenia in patients treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Goal of work

Little is known about the effects of professional oral health care (POHC) on the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We evaluated the effects of POHC given by dentists and dental hygienists on the development of oral mucositis and febrile neutropenia (FN) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT).

Patients and methods

We retrospectively studied 140 adult patients who had received allogeneic BMT, with or without POHC, in our hospital consecutively between February 2002 and December 2009. Oral mucositis was evaluated according to the World Health Organization scale.

Main results

The incidence of oral mucositis was 66.7% (52/78) in the patients who had received POHC, compared to 93.5% (58/62) in the non-POHC group (P?<?0.001). The incidence of FN and the maximal level of CRP were also significantly lower in the POHC group. Multivariate analysis revealed that the POHC was significantly associated with the incidence of oral mucositis (odds ratio, 7.58; 95%CI, 2.45?C23.34; P?<?0.001).

Conclusions

We concluded that POHC reduced the incidences of oral mucositis and FN by upgrading the overall oral hygiene during HSCT.     

Systematic review of basic oral care for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to evaluate research in basic oral care interventions to update evidence-based practice guidelines for preventing and treating oral mucositis (OM) in cancer patients undergoing radio- or chemotherapy.

Methods

A systematic review of available literature was conducted by the Basic Oral Care Section of the Mucositis Study Group of MASCC/ISOO. Seven interventions—oral care protocols, dental care, normal saline, sodium bicarbonate, mixed medication mouthwash, chlorhexidine, and calcium phosphate—were evaluated using the Hadorn (J Clin Epidemiol 49:749–754, 1996) criteria to determine level of evidence, followed by a guideline determination of one of the following: recommendation, suggestion, or no guideline possible, using Somerfield’s (Classic Pap Cur Comments 4:881–886, 2000) schema.

Results

Fifty-two published papers were examined by treatment population (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant) and by whether the intervention aimed to prevent or treat OM. The resulting practice suggestions included using oral care protocols for preventing OM across all treatment modalities and age groups and not using chlorhexidine mouthwash for preventing OM in adults with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Considering inadequate and/or conflicting evidence, no guidelines for prevention or treatment of OM were possible for the interventions of dental care, normal saline, sodium bicarbonate, mixed medication mouthwash, chlorhexidine in patients receiving chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplant, or calcium phosphate.

Conclusions

The evidence for basic oral care interventions supports the use of oral care protocols in patient populations receiving radiation and/or chemotherapy and does not support chlorhexidine for prevention of mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Additional well-designed research is needed for other interventions to improve the amount and quality of evidence guiding future clinical care.     

Systematic review of anti-inflammatory agents for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this project was to review the available literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of anti-inflammatory agents for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in cancer patients.

Materials and methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology. The body of evidence for use of each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, and no guideline possible.

Results

Forty-one papers were reviewed. There was sufficient evidence to recommend the use of benzydamine mouthwash for the prevention of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving moderate-dose radiation therapy (up to 50 Gy), without concomitant chemotherapy. A new suggestion was developed against the use of misoprostol mouthwash for the prevention of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. Positive results were reported for some other anti-inflammatory agents. However, no guidelines were able to be developed for any other agents due to insufficient and/or conflicting evidence.

Conclusions

The use of anti-inflammatory agents continues to be a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis. Additional well-designed studies are needed to examine the use of this class of agents for oral mucositis.     

Impact of oral mucositis on short-term clinical outcomes in paediatric and adolescent patients undergoing chemotherapy

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the burden of the peak severity of oral mucositis and severity over time on selected clinical outcomes in paediatric and adolescent patients receiving chemotherapy.

Patients and methods

A multicentre study enrolled 140 patients between the ages of 6 and 18 years, who had been treated with chemotherapy and completed the self-report Mouth and Throat Soreness-related questions of the Oral Mucositis Daily Questionnaire for 14 days. Clinical data were collected from patients' medical records during the first 14 days after starting chemotherapy.

Results

Forty-one percent developed oral mucositis. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that oral mucositis was significantly associated with an increased loss of baseline body weight, after controlling for nausea/vomiting (β?=?0.34, p?=?0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that severe mucositis was significantly associated with a higher probability of fluid replacement, after controlling for nausea/vomiting (adjusted OR?=?12.8; 95 % CI?=?2.7–61.0; p?=?0.001). In addition, severe mucositis was significantly associated with a higher probability of fever, after controlling for neutropoenia (adjusted OR?=?5.4; 95 % CI?=?1.8–15.4; p?=?0.002). No difference was observed for oral or systemic infections among the subgroups. About 5 % of the patients with oral mucositis had delays in chemotherapy (≤7 days). None of the patients had dose modification or unplanned hospitalization due to oral mucositis. The associations of peak severity and overall oral mucositis with adverse clinical outcomes in paediatric and adolescent patients were equivalent.

Conclusion

Oral mucositis is associated with negative effects on clinical outcomes.     

Systematic review of oral cryotherapy for management of oral mucositis caused by cancer therapy

Purpose

This systematic review analyzed the strength of the literature and defined clinical practice guidelines for the use of oral cryotherapy for the prevention and/or treatment of oral mucositis caused by cancer therapy.

Methods

A systematic review on relevant oral cryotherapy studies indexed prior to 31 December 2010 was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO) using OVID/MEDLINE, with publications selected for review based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings from the reviewed studies were integrated into guidelines based on the overall level of evidence for each intervention. Guidelines were classified into three types: recommendation, suggestion, or no guideline possible.

Results

Twenty-two clinical studies and two meta-analyses were analyzed. Results were compared with the MASCC/ISOO guidelines published in 2007. The recommendation for the use of oral cryotherapy to prevent oral mucositis in patients receiving bolus fluorouracil (5-FU) was maintained, in agreement with the 2007 guidelines. A suggestion for use of oral cryotherapy to prevent oral mucositis in patients receiving high-dose melphalan as conditioning regimen with or without total body irradiation for HCST was revised from the 2007 guidelines. No guideline was possible for any other intervention, due to insufficient evidence.

Conclusions

The evidence continues to support the use of oral cryotherapy for prevention of oral mucositis in patients receiving bolus 5-FU chemotherapy or high-dose melphalan. This intervention is consistent with the MASCC/ISOO guidelines published in 2007. The literature is limited by the fact that utilization of a double-blind study design is not feasible. Future studies that compare efficacy of oral cryotherapy with other mucositis agents in patients receiving chemotherapy with relatively short plasma half-lives would be useful.     

Systematic review of laser and other light therapy for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Background

The aim of this study was to review the available literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of laser and other light therapies for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology. The body of evidence for each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, and no guideline possible.

Results

A new recommendation was made for low-level laser (wavelength at 650?nm, power of 40?mW, and each square centimeter treated with the required time to a tissue energy dose of 2?J/cm² (2?s/point)) for the prevention of oral mucositis in adult patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conditioned with high-dose chemotherapy, with or without total body irradiation. A new suggestion was made for low-level laser (wavelength around 632.8?nm) for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiotherapy, without concomitant chemotherapy, for head and neck cancer. No guideline was possible in other populations and for other light sources due to insufficient evidence.

Conclusions

The increasing evidence in favor of low-level laser therapy allowed for the development of two new guidelines supporting this modality in the populations listed above. Evidence for other populations was also generally encouraging over a range of wavelengths and intensities. However, additional well-designed research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of laser and other light therapies in various cancer treatment settings.     

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of manuka honey for radiation-induced oral mucositis

Background

Few treatments have the potential to reduce the severity of radiation-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer patients. Some small studies have suggested that organic honey may be a useful preventive treatment.

Methods

This investigator-initiated double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial investigated whether honey reduced the severity of radiation-induced oral mucositis (ROM). One hundred six head and neck cancer patients from the Vancouver and Sudbury Cancer Centers in Canada were randomized to swish, hold, and swallow either 5 ml of irradiated organic manuka honey or a placebo gel, four times a day throughout radiation treatment, plus seven more days. Severity of oral mucositis according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), World Health Organization (WHO), and Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale scales, weight, and subjects' symptom severity and quality of life were assessed weekly. Sialometry was performed at baseline and at the last study visit.

Results

One hundred six patients were recruited. Twenty-four did not attend any mucositis assessments. One was removed from the study because of off-study consumption of store-bought manuka honey. The remaining 81 patients had at least one mucositis assessment and were included in the analysis. Sixty-two percent of subjects received concurrent chemotherapy; 81 % were male. The groups were well-matched, and blinding was excellent. Dropouts were mostly due to nausea and were similar in both arms, with 78 % being able to tolerate the study products for more than 1 week. The dropout rate was 57 % in those who received honey and 52 % in those who received placebo gel. The dropout rate in those who had concurrent chemotherapy was 59 % and in those who only received radiation was 47 %. There was no statistically significant difference between the honey and placebo arms in any of the outcome indicators. Those who completed the study in both treatment arms had low rates of RTOG greater than or equal to grade 3 mucositis; 35 % in the honey group and 43 % in the placebo group.

Conclusion

Despite promising earlier reports, manuka honey was not tolerated well by our patients and, even when used as directed, did not have a significant impact on the severity of ROM.     

Systematic review of natural agents for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this study was to review the available literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of natural agents for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology. The body of evidence for each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, and no guideline possible.

Results

A total of 49 papers across 15 interventions were examined. A new suggestion was developed in favor of systemic zinc supplements administered orally in the prevention of oral mucositis in oral cancer patients receiving radiation therapy or chemoradiation (Level III evidence). A recommendation was made against the use of intravenous glutamine for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplant (Level II evidence). No guideline was possible for any other agent, due to inadequate and/or conflicting evidence.

Conclusions

Of the various natural agents reviewed here, the available evidence supported a guideline only for two agents: a suggestion in favor of zinc and a recommendation against glutamine, in the treatment settings listed above. Well-designed studies of other natural agents are warranted.     

Systematic review of cytokines and growth factors for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this project was to review the literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of cytokines and growth factor agents for the prevention or treatment of oral mucositis induced by cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO). The body of evidence for each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: Recommendation, Suggestion, No guideline possible.

Results

Sixty-four clinical studies across 11 interventions were evaluated. A recommendation was made for the use of recombinant human KGF-1 (palifermin) at a dose of 60???g/kg per day for 3?days prior to conditioning treatment and for 3?days post-transplant for prevention of oral mucositis in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation followed by autologous stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies. A suggestion was made against using granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor mouthwash for the prevention of oral mucositis in the setting of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation. No guideline was possible for any other cytokine or growth factor agents due to inconclusive evidence.

Conclusions

Of the cytokine and growth factor agents studied for oral mucositis, the evidence only supports use of palifermin in the specific population listed above. Additional well-designed research is needed on other cytokine and growth factor interventions and in other cancer treatment settings.     

Implementation of a hospital oral care protocol and recording of oral mucositis in children receiving cancer treatment

Purpose

This retrospective/prospective study was carried out to implement a standardized hospital oral care protocol and record the incidence of oral mucositis for inpatients with childhood cancer.

Methods

The implementation process included stages of collaboration, consultation, education, and evaluation. The retrospective part of the study documented the existing hospital oral care protocol and audited medical records of all pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer over a 12-month period. The frequency of recorded oral mucositis and the rate of referral to the pediatric dentistry department were assessed. Following evaluation of the retrospective study, the literature was searched to create a new hospital oral care protocol. Referral to the dental department was standardized and frequent in-service presentations were given to staff. The oral mucositis scale was recorded daily for all inpatients, and compliance rates were assessed.

Results

Fifty-nine patients’ medical records were audited during the retrospective study. Oral mucositis prevalence was clearly documented at 34%, while an additional 20% lacked a definitive diagnosis. During the prospective study, 38 patients were followed and had a verified incidence of oral mucositis of 33%. The rate of compliance of implementing the oral mucositis scale improved from 41% during the first 4 months to 87% during last 3 months. Referral rates to the dental department increased from 53% during the retrospective study to 100% during the prospective study.

Conclusions

Mutual understanding and collaboration between the oncology and dental departments in hospitals is crucial for standardizing patient care and for improving oral care standards.     

Systematic review of amifostine for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this study was to review the available literature from 1966 until December 31, 2010 and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of amifostine for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in cancer patients.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology. The body of evidence for the use of amifostine, in each cancer treatment setting was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, or no guideline possible.

Results

Thirty papers were reviewed for evidence on amifostine as an intervention for oral mucositis. No guideline was possible for amifostine in any cancer treatment setting due to inadequate and conflicting evidence.

Conclusion

Review of the amifostine studies for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis has found insufficient evidence to support its use in any cancer treatment setting for this purpose. Additional well-designed research is needed to clarify the role of amifostine as an intervention for oral mucositis.     

Low body mass index as a risk factor of moderate to severe oral mucositis in oral cancer patients with radiotherapy

Purpose

The association between body mass index (BMI) and oral mucositis in oral cancer patients receiving radiotherapy is unclear. This study examined whether low BMI could be a risk factor for oral mucositis in oral cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.

Methods

Between April 2007 and March 2011, a total of 33 inpatients with oral cancer receiving radiotherapy were recruited. They were followed from the beginning of radiotherapy to discharge from hospital. All patients had no mucositis when radiotherapy started. The odds ratio (OR) and 95?% confidence interval (CI) of BMI for incident grade 2 and grade 3 mucositis were calculated by use of univariable logistic regression models.

Results

All patients developed oral mucositis (grade 1 in 39.4?%, grade 2 in 30.3?%, grade 3 in 30.3?%), with the maximum grade occurring at an average of 32.4?days. Compared with normal BMI (≥22.0), the OR of low BMI (<22.0) for moderate to severe mucositis was 9.07 (95?% CI, 1.72-47.68).

Conclusions

Low BMI may be a risk factor of moderate to severe oral mucositis.     

Influence of periodontitis on the experience of oral mucositis in cancer patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy: a pilot study

Background and aim

Periodontitis and radiation-induced oral mucositis are both inflammatory conditions which may be associated through a common underlying dysregulation of the inflammatory response. This pilot study aimed to determine whether the severity of oral mucositis is associated with the severity of periodontitis in cancer patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy.

Materials and methods

In this pilot study, 41 patients met the inclusion criteria. The severity of oral mucositis was measured according to the WHO system. The severity of periodontitis was assessed clinically and radiographically. Gingival crevicular fluid was sampled and levels of eight cytokines were determined using a multiplexed bead immunoassay. Associations between radiation-induced oral mucositis and periodontitis were analysed using logistic and linear regression.

Results

There was a trend towards a greater proportion of periodontitis patients in the mucositis groups (grades?=?1–4) than in the non-mucositis group (grade?=?0). However, due to the small sample size of this pilot study, these trends were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

This pilot study did not demonstrate a positive statistical correlation between periodontitis experience and severity of radiation-induced oral mucositis. Nonetheless, a trend towards increased bone loss, pocket depth and clinical attachment levels was noted in patients with mucositis grades 1–4. Larger studies with more stringent inclusion criteria are now required to further investigate this possible relationship between periodontitis experience and severity of radiation-induced oral mucositis.     

Treatment of oral mucositis pain following radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer using a bioadhesive barrier-forming lipid solution

Purpose

CAM2028, a vehicle that forms a bioadhesive lipid barrier when applied to the oral mucosa, was developed as a carrier system for local delivery of benzydamine, an NSAID used for pain relief in oral mucositis. This trial compared the analgesic effect of CAM2028 plus benzydamine (CAM2028-benzydamine) with unmedicated CAM2028 (CAM2028-control) for the treatment of oral mucositis in patients with head-and-neck cancer.

Methods

Thirty-eight study participants were enrolled during their 3rd to 4th week of radiation therapy. Participants were required to have symptomatic oral mucositis (WHO Grade 2 or above) at screening and pain scores of at least 6 on an 11-point Likert scale at screening and on each day before treatment with study medication. After undergoing radiation, patients were administered a single dose of CAM2028-control or CAM2028-benzydamine 2 days apart, in a randomized crossover fashion. Pain was assessed over the following 8 h.

Results

With both treatments, patients experienced a mean 40 % decrease in pain intensity at 6 h (the primary study endpoint). Both treatments resulted in significant pain relief within 5 min of application that was evident during the entire 8-h assessment period. There was no difference in pain relief between the two interventions at any time point. Both treatments were safe and well tolerated.

Conclusions

CAM2028-benzydamine and CAM2028-control were both efficacious in reducing pain in patients with oral mucositis related to radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer. Analgesic effects of both medications were immediate, clinically significant, and persistent for up to 8 h.     

Evaluation of nutritional status in head and neck radio-treated patients affected by oral mucositis: efficacy of class IV laser therapy

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate the role of class IV laser therapy in the amelioration of nutritional status of patients affected by oral mucositis due to radiotherapy of the head and neck region during oncological treatment.

Methods

Sixty-three oncological patients were included in this study. All patients were affected by tumors in the head and neck region and had developed oral mucositis during radiotherapy. Forty-two patients had been treated by high-power laser therapy whereas 21 patients had been managed with traditional medications. Data collection included weight measurement (kilogram) and body mass index (BMI) calculation (mass (kilogram)/(height) (square meter)) on the first and last day of radiotherapy. In addition, gender, age, pathology, and the kind of oncological treatment have been considered.

Results

Laser-treated patients decreased less in BMI during radiotherapy (p?=?0.000). Patients treated by combined oncological treatments (radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy and/or surgery) had a higher weight loss during radiotherapy (p?=?0.015). According to a multivariate regression analysis, the only variable which significantly influenced the reduction of BMI was laser treatment (p?=?0.000).

Conclusions

Laser therapy is actually considered one of the recommended remedies for the healing of oral mucositis due to cancer treatments. Healing of mucositis can deeply influence the feeding capacity of patients, through reduction of pain and improvement of chewing and swallowing capacities. It also allows lowering the costs for hospitalization and supportive care. Laser therapy should become part of nutritional interventions in oncological patients affected by oral mucositis.     

Systematic review of miscellaneous agents for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the available literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of the following agents for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis (OM): allopurinol, midline mucosa-sparing radiation blocks, payayor, pentoxifylline, timing of radiation therapy (RT) (morning versus late afternoon), pilocarpine, bethanechol, chewing gum, propantheline, and tetrachlorodecaoxide.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO). The body of evidence for each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, no guideline possible.

Results

A total of 32 papers across 10 interventions were examined. New suggestions were developed against the use of systemic pilocarpine administered orally for prevention of OM during RT in head and neck cancer patients and in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy, with or without total body irradiation, prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A suggestion was also made against the use of systemic pentoxifylline administered orally for the prevention of OM in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. No guideline was possible for any other agent reviewed due to inadequate and/or conflicting evidence.

Conclusions

None of the agents reviewed was determined to be effective for the prevention or treatment of OM. Two agents, pilocarpine and pentoxifylline, were determined to be ineffective, in the populations listed above. Additional well-designed research is needed on other interventions.     

Evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of an oral care diary by patients during chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing chemotherapy for many cancer types may experience oral problems, such as mucositis and any deterioration in the health of the oral cavity can have a significant effect on a person's well-being. Trends towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in out-patient chemotherapy mean that patients are required to adopt increasingly participatory roles in their self-care and are subsequently coping with mouth problems while they are at home without the direct support of oncology health professionals. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of an oral care diary by patients receiving chemotherapy. DESIGN: An oral care diary was developed to incorporate oral assessment using the Oral Assessment Guide (Eilier, J., Berger, A., Peterson, M., 1988. Development, testing and application of the oral assessment guide. Oncology Nurse Forum 15, 325-330) and guidance about oral self-care. This exploratory study utilised purpose designed pre- and post-study questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to evaluate patients' perceptions and experiences of the oral care diary. SETTING: The study took place in 2-day chemotherapy units in Scotland: 1 in a cancer centre and 1 in a district general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of patients (n=45) receiving out-patient chemotherapy for a range of cancer diagnoses participated in the study over 2 cycles of chemotherapy. METHODS: Following recruitment, patients were instructed in the use of the oral care diary to assess their mouth daily while at home on a daily basis. Patients were asked to complete 2 structured purpose designed questionnaires-the first prior to starting diary completion and the second following their participation in the study. Nine patients participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their actual experiences of using the oral care diary in more depth. RESULTS: The participants found the oral care diary acceptable and feasible. Awareness of oral symptoms and related mouth self-care post-chemotherapy improved. CONCLUSIONS: The oral care diary is an acceptable and feasible method of enhancing oral self-care during a course of chemotherapy. Further study is required to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.     

Reduced intensity conditioning and oral care measures prevent oral mucositis and reduces days of hospitalization in allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients

Purpose

Oral mucositis (OM) is a side effect of intensive chemotherapy and radiation and has been reported to affect 75–100 % of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of OM in patients conditioned with myeloablative conditioning (MAC) to reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) and to determine the effect of a new oral care protocol.

Methods

The study involved 171 HSCT recipients, with hematological malignancies transplanted between 2007 and 2011. Median age of the patients was 50 years (range 12–71). Ninety-nine (58 %) received RIC and 72 received MAC. Clinical features of OM were recorded from day ?3 before to day +25 after HSCT using the World Health Organization (WHO) scoring system and the oral mucositis assessment score (OMAS).

Results

Overall, 87 % of the patients developed OM of any severity, which peaked on days 10–11. The mean WHO score was 1.7. In multivariate analysis, the severity of OM was associated with MAC (relative hazard (RH) 1.57, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.37–1.80, p?<?0.001), all donor-recipient gender combinations except female-to-male (RH?=?1.26, 95 % CI 1.10–1.4, p?=?0.001), and early year of HSCT (RH?=?0.84, 95%CI 0.7–0.96, p?=?0.013). There was a correlation between long hospitalization and OM (day 15, r?=?0.31, p?<?0.001). There was a good correlation between the WHO and OMAS scoring systems for OM (r?=?0.74, p?<?0.001).

Conclusions

Oral mucositis was reduced in patients treated with RIC and in patients treated during recent years, when oral care was intensified. Increased scores of OM prolonged hospitalization.     

Progress of oral care and reduction of oral mucositis��a pilot study in a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ward

Purpose

Oral mucositis is a common symptomatic complication associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We use simple strategies aimed to reduce oral mucositis by keeping the oral cavity clean and moist. Here, we report on the progress of oral care and the changes in the degree of oral mucositis. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of our strategies on the prevalence and the severity of oral mucositis.

Methods

Fifty-three consecutive patients from 2003 to 2006 administered with conventional allogeneic HCT were enrolled in this study. The degree of oral mucositis was evaluated daily in all patients. Our oral care program was divided into two periods: ??examination and trial period (2003 and 2004)?? and ??intensive oral care period (2005 and 2006).?? In the latter, an oral care regimen was carried out systematically by a multidisciplinary team.

Results

Using our oral care strategies, the prevalence of ulcerative oral mucositis was decreased significantly. The rate was reduced from 76% (10 of 13) of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis in 2003 to only 20% (3 of 15) in 2006.

Conclusions

Our pilot study suggests that oral mucositis in HCT patients can be alleviated by simple strategies aimed at keeping the oral cavity clean and moist.     

The effect of a supersaturated calcium phosphate mouth rinse on the development of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiation

Objectives

Mucosal damage is an important and debilitating side effect when treating head and neck cancer patients with (chemo-)radiation. The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to investigate whether the addition of a neutral, supersaturated, calcium phosphate (CP) mouth rinse benefits the severity and duration of acute mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiation.

Materials and methods

A total of 60 patients with malignant neoplasms of the head and neck receiving (chemo)radiation were included in this study. Fifty-eight patients were randomized into two treatment arms: a control group receiving standard of care (n?=?31) and a study group receiving standard of care?+?daily CP mouth rinses (n?=?27) starting on the first day of (chemo-)radiation. Oral mucositis and dysphagia were assessed twice a week using the National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria scale version 3, oral pain was scored with a visual analogue scale.

Results

No significant difference in grade III mucositis (59 vs. 71 %; p?=?0.25) and dysphagia (33 vs. 42 %, p?=?0.39) was observed between the study group compared to the control group. Also no significant difference in time until development of peak mucositis (28.6 vs. 28.7 days; p?=?0.48), duration of peak mucositis (22.7 vs. 24.6 days; p?=?0.31), recuperation of peak dysphagia (20.5 vs 24.2 days; p?=?0.13) and occurrence of severe pain (56 vs. 52 %, p?=?0.5).

Conclusion

In this randomized study, the addition of CP mouth rinse to standard of care did not improve the frequency, duration or severity of the most common acute toxicities during and early after (chemo)radiation. There is currently no evidence supporting its standard use in daily practice.