Abstract :
Introduction: Patients suffering from Head and Neck Cancers (HNC), when treated with radiotherapy (RT), often experience Oral mucositis (OMS) side effects. OMS can complicate the treatment and worsen the management of HNC. The Radio-oncologist should find a way to minimize the incidence of OMS during the treatment of HNC.
Aim: To study the Radiation-induced OMS in HNC patients and its associated factors.
Materials and Methods: This prospective study was performed from October 2018 to September 2019. Total 80 patients of with HNC, who were treated with RT, were enrolled for the study with informed consent. In the study, 40 patients received RT and 40 received concurrent chemo-Radiotherapy (CCRT).
Results: Amongst 80 patients included in the study, 72.5% were found to be male. Poor oral hygiene was observed in 77.5% of patients in the study. The tongue cancer (35%) and Cancer of Stage IVa (47.5%) were more prevalent in the patients under study. OMS was observed maximum (60%) in 1 to 4 weeks of treatment.
Conclusion: Inflammation response of epithelial mucosa to chemo- radiotherapy cytotoxic effects leads to mucositis, a painful side effect. This study gives proper understanding of Radiation-induced OMS and identifies the predisposing factors for OMS.
Keyword :
Oral mucositis, Radiationinduced, Head and Neck Cancer, Radiation Therapy