mucositis – Oral Cancer News

Novel therapy promising for radiation-induced oral mucositis

Source: www.medpagetoday.com Author: Mike Bassett, Staff Writer, MedPage Today The first-in-class uridine phosphorylase inhibitor TK-90 almost completely eliminated severe oral mucositis (SOM) in patients with non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who underwent radiation therapy, a small randomized study showed. None of the 12 patients treated with TK-90 developed SOM by the end of treatment at week 7, compared with six of 12 treated with placebo (0% vs 50%, P=0.14), reported Nabil F. Saba, MD, of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta. At week 9 follow-up after the end of dosing, just one patient treated with TK-90 had developed SOM compared with nine in the placebo group (8.3% vs 75%, P=0.003). The duration of SOM in the patient treated with TK-90 was 12 days compared with a mean duration of 35 days in patients who developed SOM in the placebo arm (P=0.026). "Parenteral administration of TK-90 appears to be an effective strategy for preventing radiation-induced mucositis," Saba said during a session at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposiumopens in a new tab or window in Phoenix. "These results merit additional validation in larger trials." Mucositis is a debilitating complication of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, leading to weight loss, mouth ulcers, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially fatal infections. "Uridine is essential to the preservation of the health of the normal mucosa," Saba explained. "By inhibiting uridine phosphorylase, uridine levels are restored in the mucosa, basically reducing the leakage in the mitochondria and, by doing [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2024-03-06T12:06:26-07:00March, 2024|Oral Cancer News|

Gadget that shines bright red LEDs to mend cancer scars now being used to treat debilitating scarring and swelling in the mouth caused by radiotherapy

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: Beth Kennedy A 'Lollipop' gadget that emits red light is being used to treat debilitating scarring and swelling in the mouth caused by radiotherapy cancer treatment. The device's light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can repair damaged tissue, calm the body's response to injury and reduce inflammation – and patients simply need to pop it in their mouth for a few minutes to feel the benefits. It is believed that the wavelength of light being produced, called near-infrared, is absorbed by damaged cells and helps to repair them. The therapy – known as photobiomodulation – is being offered to NHS patients in Nottingham, where experts claim it has proved remarkably successful. But there are now hopes it could be rolled out more widely in a bid to improve the lives of cancer survivors across the UK. Radiotherapy most often involves shooting high-energy X-ray beams into the body to destroy tumours. The treatment is highly effective, but there can be collateral damage to healthy surrounding tissue, which causes scarring to develop both on the skin and internally. Also known as fibrosis, this affects one in ten patients who undergo radiotherapy, and the problem can occur months or even years after initial treatment. It can cause discomfort and leads to difficulty in moving the affected areas. In the case of head and neck cancers, patients may be left unable to turn their head fully or, in the worst scenarios, powerless to chew or speak properly. The LED treatment is already approved by [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2024-02-25T14:26:01-07:00February, 2024|Oral Cancer News|

Revolutionizing oral mucositis treatment: Antibacterial light-activated therapy in future protocols

Source: www.dentistryiq.com Author: Nina Garlo-Melkas, MSc Recent research suggests that antibacterial dual-light therapy may be an effective method to manage the symptoms of oral mucositis. Here’s what you need to know about this promising treatment. Oral mucositis, an inflammation of the oral mucosa, often occurs in association with cancer treatments, particularly radiation and chemotherapy. It manifests as severe pain, redness, and swelling in the mouth, potentially impacting the success of cancer therapy. To date, no existing medication has effectively prevented the development of mucositis. But recent research suggests that antibacterial dual-light therapy may be an effective method to manage the symptoms of this condition. Traditional approaches to treating oral mucositis include preventive measures such as maintaining good oral hygiene and using ice therapy during chemotherapy. If bacterial infection is present, doctors may consider the use of antibiotics. Corticosteroids are also a treatment option to alleviate pain and the inflammatory response associated with mucositis. However, corticosteroid use poses risks as it can suppress the immune system, making cancer patients more susceptible to infections.1,2 Ongoing research explores novel methods for preventing and treating oral mucositis. Mitochondria-stimulating red-light therapy has proven to be very effective in treating oral mucositis, particularly as a preventive measure. Although light therapy is estimated to be the most effective treatment modality, its widespread implementation faces challenges such as availability and practical issues.3 The latest studies investigate antibacterial treatments to preventively address oral mucosal ulcers originating from mucositis, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of aggressive cancer treatments. In [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2024-01-31T11:31:01-07:00January, 2024|Oral Cancer News|

Despite treatment advances, oral mucositis continues to plague patients with head and neck cancer

Source: www.oncnursingnews.com Author: Lindsay Fischer Findings from a cohort study of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) suggest that severe oral mucositis continues to be a common adverse event in this population. Findings were published in JAMA Network Open. In this single-institution study, 98.6% (n = 568) of patients who underwent definitive or adjuvant intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) for primary HNC between February 9, 2015, and May 2022, developed some degree of oral mucositis, and 62.5% (n = 360) of these patients developed severe oral mucositis. A total of 576 patients were included in this analysis. The median patient age was 62.5 years (IQR, 53.6-69.1) and 78.3% (n = 451) were male. Most patients were White (88.4%). Most patients (80.6%) also received concurrent chemotherapy. Quality-of-Life Parameters Patients were assessed for mouth and soreness (MTS) scores during radiotherapy through the Oral Mucositis Weekly Questionnaire–Head and Neck Cancer survey. Patients who had higher MTS scores were more likely to require a feeding tube (P = .001); the rate of feeding tube utilization with MTS scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, was 0%, 3.6%, 6.6, 14.7%, and 21.6%. They were also more likely to be hospitalized (P = .02) or require opiate use (P

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2023-11-22T13:11:21-07:00November, 2023|Oral Cancer News|

A new answer for helping patients with xerostomia

Source: www.dentistryiq.com Author: John Kringel Helping patients with xerostomia can be especially challenging. Set aside for a moment the dental complications that result, such as rampant caries and mucositis. Severe symptoms like difficulty swallowing, sleeping, and talking can ruin the sufferer’s daily quality of life at the most basic level. Yet the available interventions1 come down to lifestyle tips such as sucking on ice chips, chewing sugar-free gum, and using a humidifier at night. Dr. Jeffrey Cash, a dentist in Richmond, Virginia, has experienced the frustration of dealing with xerostomia from multiple perspectives. He was initially moved by his hospital-based residency working with head-and-neck cancer patients. “My conversations with patients who had tried the standard suggestions without finding relief generally went like this: ‘Can’t you do anything else for me? I'm miserable. I can't eat properly. I wake up four times a night because I can't breathe.’ My answer, which felt terrible, amounted to ‘welcome to the new normal.’ ” Within a year of graduation, Dr. Cash learned exactly what these patients had experienced when he underwent chemotherapy as a part of his own cancer treatment. “Shortly after starting chemo, I developed severe dryness which led to mucositis. It was so uncomfortable I didn’t want to swallow or eat anything that would scratch the tissue.” The combined experience as a dentist and a xerostomia sufferer started Dr. Cash on a decades-long mission to invent a new treatment option that would be immediate, continuous, and predictable. That aspiration became a reality [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2021-03-07T08:24:14-07:00March, 2021|Oral Cancer News|

Gabapentin shows efficacy as opioid alternative for patients with head and neck cancer

Source: www.healio.com Author: Jennifer Byrne For many patients with head and neck cancer, treatment-associated oral mucositis is a source of severe pain. Managing this pain is a priority for physicians and interdisciplinary care teams. Although opioid painkillers historically have been used for this purpose, researchers at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center investigated the use of gabapentin, a drug used to alleviate nerve pain, as an alternative to narcotics for this patient population. “Virtually all patients will require some type of pain relief or analgesic medication during the course of chemotherapy and radiation,” study author Anurag K. Singh, MD, professor of oncology and director of radiation research at Roswell Park, told Healio. “We’ve been studying better ways to improve pain control in this population because standard narcotics just don’t work that well. Patients tend to use a lot and they still experience pain, but they are sleepier.” A dose-dependent effect In their study, published in Cancer, Singh and colleagues randomly assigned 60 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to one of two treatment regimens: high-dose gabapentin (2,700 mg daily), progressing sequentially to hydrocodone-acetaminophen and fentanyl when needed (n = 31), or low-dose gabapentin (900 mg daily) progressing to methadone as needed (n = 29). Safety and toxicity served as the study’s primary endpoints. Pain, opioid requirement and quality of life served as secondary endpoints. Results showed no difference in pain between the treatment groups, but more patients in the high-dose gabapentin group did not need an opioid while receiving [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2020-03-13T06:43:56-07:00March, 2020|Oral Cancer News|

Healthy diet may avert nutritional problems in head, neck cancer patients

Source: medicalxpress.com Author: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign At least 90 percent of head and neck cancer patients develop symptoms that affect their ability or desire to eat, because of either the tumor itself or the surgery or radiation used to treat it. These problems, called nutrition impact symptoms, have wide-ranging negative effects on patients' physical and mental health and quality of life. However, patients who eat foods high in antioxidants and other micronutrients prior to diagnosis may reduce their risks of developing chronic nutrition impact symptoms up to one year after being diagnosed with head or neck cancer, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of Illinois. The scientists analyzed the dietary patterns of 336 adults with newly diagnosed head and neck cancers and these patients' problems with eating, swallowing and inflammation of the digestive tract. This painful inflammatory condition, called mucositis, is a common side effect of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. The mitigating effects of a healthy diet were particularly significant in people who had never smoked and in patients who were underweight or normal weight at diagnosis, who often experience the greatest eating and digestive problems during treatment, said Sylvia L. Crowder, the paper's first author. Crowder is a research fellow in the Cancer Scholars for Translational and Applied Research program, a collaborative initiative of the U. of I. and Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. "While previous work has established that the presence of nutrition impact symptoms is associated with decreased food [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2020-01-11T08:01:15-07:00January, 2020|Oral Cancer News|

Study: Healthy diet may avert nutritional problems in head, neck cancer patients

Source: news.illinois.edu Author: Sharita Forrest At least 90% of head and neck cancer patients develop symptoms that affect their ability or desire to eat, because of either the tumor itself or the surgery or radiation used to treat it. These problems, called nutrition impact symptoms, have wide-ranging negative effects on patients’ physical and mental health and quality of life. However, patients who eat foods high in antioxidants and other micronutrients prior to diagnosis may reduce their risks of developing chronic nutrition impact symptoms up to one year after being diagnosed with head or neck cancer, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of Illinois. The scientists analyzed the dietary patterns of 336 adults with newly diagnosed head and neck cancers and these patients’ problems with eating, swallowing and inflammation of the digestive tract. This painful inflammatory condition, called mucositis, is a common side effect of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. The mitigating effects of a healthy diet were particularly significant in people who had never smoked and in patients who were underweight or normal weight at diagnosis, who often experience the greatest eating and digestive problems during treatment, said Sylvia L. Crowder, the paper’s first author. Crowder is a research fellow in the Cancer Scholars for Translational and Applied Research program, a collaborative initiative of the U. of I. and Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. “While previous work has established that the presence of nutrition impact symptoms is associated with decreased food intake and weight loss, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-12-17T09:16:56-07:00December, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Which feeding tubes do head and neck cancer clinicians prefer to use in patients undergoing radiotherapy?

Source: www.oncologynurseadvisor.com Author: Susan Moench, PhD, PA-C A study of the perceptions of health care professionals involved in the care of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy regarding optimal feeding tube practices showed no consensus; however, feeding tube placement was considered important for some patients. This study was published in JPEN Journal of Parenteral Enteral Nutrition. Patients with head and neck cancer frequently undergo intensive treatment that may include a long course of radiation therapy in addition to surgery and chemotherapy. Treatment-related toxicity can involve severe dysphagia and mucositis, as well as reduced food intake and unintentional weight loss; these clinical sequelae can also lead to treatment delays and an increased risk of hospitalization. Clinical practice guidelines include recommendations for early enteral feeding in patients with stage IV disease or hypopharyngeal tumors who are receiving chemoradiotherapy, as well as other patients with head and neck cancer, “depending on factors including their treatment, nutrition status, dysphagia, social support, and food intake.” However, there is no conclusive evidence as to which of the most commonly used feeding tubes — a nasogastric tube (NGT) placed when additional nutritional support is needed or a prophylactic gastrostomy tube (PGT) placed before radiation therapy — is preferable. In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with interdisciplinary health care professionals from 4 radiation therapy departments (2 in the United States and 2 in Australia) to evaluate their perspectives and experiences regarding feeding tube practices in patients with head and neck cancer. Of the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-09-14T09:13:13-07:00September, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

New guidelines for patients suffering from mucositis or oral ulcerations from head and neck cancer treatment

Source: business.financialpost.com Author: press release MedX Health Corp. announces it will initiate a targeted marketing campaign following an announcement by a worldwide coalition of researchers and clinicians who have agreed that light therapy is among the most effective interventions for the prevention of oral mucositis and painful ulcers in the mouth and throat resulting from cancer therapy. The Company said this represents a significant sales opportunity in Canada and the United States for MedX’s photobiomodulation therapy devices. The new guidelines from the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (“MASCC”) and International Society of Oral Oncology (“ISOO”), recently published in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer, present a significant upgrade in care guidelines for adult cancer patients worldwide (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31286228). More than 70,000 head and neck cancers are diagnosed annually in Canada and the United States, and it is documented that 100% of patients undergoing radiation therapy for these cancers will develop mucositis, which patients report as the worst side effect of their cancer treatment. Pain from the condition can slow or delay cancer treatment, and in severe cases require hospitalization. “Cancer patients can now benefit from this non-invasive, non-pharmacological treatment for a common, debilitating side effect of treatment,” said Dr. Praveen Arany, DDS, PhD, the current President of the World Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy (W.A.L.T.), a co-corresponding author on the MASCC/ISOO paper and assistant professor of oral biology and biomedical engineering at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. “Recent advancements in our understanding of mechanisms of low dose [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-07-17T06:24:34-07:00July, 2019|Oral Cancer News|