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Review
. 2008 Jan;52(1):61-77, viii.
doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2007.10.002.

Management of oral mucositis in patients who have cancer

Rajesh V Lalla  1 , Stephen T Sonis, Douglas E Peterson
Affiliations
Review

Management of oral mucositis in patients who have cancer

Rajesh V Lalla et al. Dent Clin North Am. 2008 Jan.

Abstract

Oral mucositis is a clinically important and sometimes dose-limiting complication of cancer therapy. Mucositis lesions can be painful, affect nutrition and quality of life, and have a significant economic impact. The pathogenesis of oral mucositis is multifactorial and complex. This review discusses the morbidity, economic impact, pathogenesis and clinical course of mucositis. 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. These agents are discussed in the context of recently updated evidence-based clinical management guidelines.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Current five-phase pathobiologic model of oral mucositis. (Reprinted from Sonis ST. A Biological Approach to Mucositis. J Support Oncol 2004; 2:21–36).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Oral mucositis lesion on the buccal mucosa of a patient who had received 4600 cGy of a total planned dose of 6200 cGy, without concurrent chemotherapy, for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mucositis ulcer involving the lateral tongue in the same patient as Figure 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Vera-Llonch M, Oster G, Hagiwara M, Sonis S. Oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck carcinoma. Cancer. 2006 Jan 15;106(2):329–336. - PubMed

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