oral mucositis – Oral Cancer News

High rate of severe oral mucositis after IMRT seen in head and neck cancer

Source: www.cancertherapyadvisor.com Author: Andrea S. Blevins Primeau, PhD, MBA Many patients with head and neck cancer develop oral mucositis after intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), according to a single-center study published in JAMA Network Open. The study also showed that most cases of oral mucositis were severe, and increasing severity of mucositis was associated with a greater likelihood of feeding tube placement, hospitalization, and opiate use. The study included 576 patients who underwent definitive or adjuvant IMRT during 2015-2022. The Oral Mucositis Weekly Questionnaire-Head and Neck Cancer survey was used to categorize the severity of mucositis and throat soreness. Nearly all patients (98.6%) had oral mucositis, and 62.5% developed severe oral mucositis. By the final week of IMRT, 48.6% of patients had difficulty drinking, 56.8% had difficulty swallowing, and 69.4% had difficulty eating. Most patients (76.8%) were consuming a pureed diet and/or had a feeding tube by the end of IMRT. The median time to placing a feeding tube was 32 days from starting IMRT. The proportion of patients with nonprophylactic feeding tube placement was 16.4% of those with severe oral mucositis and 5.6% of those without severe mucositis (P

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2023-10-25T08:24:54-07:00October, 2023|Oral Cancer News|

Oral microbiome connected with mouth sore severity In patients with head and neck cancer

Source: www.curetoday.com Author: Alex Biese Among patients with squamous cell head and neck carcinoma, oral microbiome is associated with severity of oral mucositis (OM), an after-effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy which effects nearly all patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), according to recent study findings from a team at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Our study suggests that the oral microbiome plays an important role in the longitudinal patterns of OM and the potential interaction between the oral microenvironment and the development of OM in patients with HNC,” the researchers wrote in a study published in the journal Cancer. Drawing on data from 142 adult patients — 91% male, with an average age of 57.6 years and a mean BMI of 29.1, 80% of whom had oropharyngeal carcinoma and 75% of whom received chemoradiation — newly diagnosed with locoregional squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who were treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center between March 2016 and September 2020, researchers collected samples from patients at the baseline prior to treatment, weekly during treatment, during the clinic visit at the conclusion of treatment and after the termination of treatment. The American Academy of Oral Medicine cites high-dose chemotherapy and localized high-dose radiation therapy to the head and neck region as the main risk factors for developing painful mouth sores also referred to as oral mucositis. “These treatments effectively target the rapidly dividing cancer cells, but also inadvertently affect normal healthy cells that rapidly turnover, such [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2023-10-07T07:09:03-07:00October, 2023|Oral Cancer News|

FDA grants fast track designation to RRx-001 for severe oral mucositis in head and neck cancer

Source: www.onclive.com Author: Chris Ryan The FDA has granted a fast track designation to RRx-001 for the prevention and attenuation of severe oral mucositis associated with chemotherapy and radiation in patients with head and neck cancer, according to a news release from EpicentRx.1 RRx-001, a direct NLRP3 inhibitor and Nrf2 upregulator with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, is also under investigation for the treatment of small cell lung cancer. “The fast track designation is great news for EpicentRx, and it puts us one step closer to a potential treatment for this critical unmet need of oral mucositis with RRx-001,” Tony Reid, MD, PhD, chief executive officer of EpicentRx, stated in a news release. Investigators previously evaluated RRx-001 in the phase 2a PREVLAR trial (NCT03515538). The study evaluated the agent’s efficacy and feasibility in mitigating severe oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancers who were receiving chemoradiation.2 Findings showed that in patients who experienced severe oral mucositis in the 3 RRx-001 treatment arm, the median duration of severe oral mucositis was 8.5 days, 17 days, and 10 days, in arms 1, 2, and 3 respectively, compared with 24 days in the control arm. When accounting for patients who did not experience severe oral mucositis, the median duration of severe oral mucositis was 5 days for patients in arm 1, 13.5 days for arm 2, 8 days in arm 3, and 18 days in the control arm. The trial enrolled patients at least 18 years of age with pathologically diagnosed stage [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2023-04-03T08:45:18-07:00April, 2023|Oral Cancer News|

FDA grants priority review to Avasopasem for radiotherapy-induced severe oral mucositis

Source: www.onclive.com/ Author: Chris Ryan The FDA has granted priority review to the new drug application (NDA) for avasopasem manganese (GC4419) as a treatment for radiotherapy-induced severe oral mucositis (SOM) in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing standard-of-care treatment.1 The NDA was supported by data from the phase 2b GT-201 (NCT02508389) and phase 3 ROMAN (NCT03689712) trials, which enrolled a total of 678 patients. Findings from GT-201 demonstrated that 90 mg avasopasem induced a significant reduction in median SOM duration compared with placebo (1.5 vs 19 days; P = .024).2 Additionally, 43% of patients treated with avasopasem experienced SOM compared with 65% of patients who received placebo (P = .009). Grade 4 instances of SOM occurred in 16% and 30% of patients in the avasopasem and placebo arms, respectively (P = .045). In the ROMAN confirmatory trial, avasopasem also significantly reduced incidence of SOM.3 Data presented during the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting showed that through the course of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), SOM was reported in 54% of patients administered avasopasem (n = 241) vs 64% of those given placebo (n = 166; relative risk [RR], 0.84; P = .045), meeting the trial’s primary end point. Additionally, when avasopasem was given prior to IMRT, patients experienced a 56% reduction in median duration of SOM compared with placebo (8 vs 18 days, respectively; P = .002). Compared with placebo, these patients also had a 27% reduction in incidence of grade 4 SOM (33% vs 24%; P = .052) and a [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2023-02-17T13:22:39-07:00February, 2023|Oral Cancer News|

Non-Irritating Foods to Eat When You Have Mouth Sores

Author: Suzanne Dixon, MPH, RD Source: www.verywellhealth.com What You Can Do About Oral Mucositis The loss of appetite is common when undergoing cancer treatment, particularly if you get a common side effect called oral mucositis which causes mouth sores. To ensure proper nutrition to help you heal, you need to find non-irritating foods that you can eat even if you have mouth sores. This article explains why mouth sores occur in people undergoing cancer treatment. It also lists the types of food you can and cannot eat—as well as the way to eat—to better cope with treatment-induced oral mucositis. How Cancer Treatment Causes Mouth Sores Over 40% of people undergoing certain cancer treatments will develop oral mucositis. It is most commonly associated with chemotherapy but can also occur with radiation therapy to the head or neck. Oral mucositis is an especially common occurrence when exposed to the chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or Evomela (melphalan). Other chemotherapy drugs can do the same. Treatment-induced oral mucositis is the result of the following processes: Whenever cells are damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, they release unstable atoms called free radicals. This, in turn, triggers the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines and metalloproteinase that break down a structural protein called collagen, causing tissues to thin and form ulcers. When this occurs in the mouth, natural bacteria quickly colonize the sores, causing infection, inflammation, and pain. The sores can often be extremely painful, making it difficult to eat, talk, and swallow. The sores may even [...]

OCF News Team - B2022-08-12T06:28:46-07:00August, 2022|Oral Cancer News|

Tackling the complications from oral cancer and treatment

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Tara Haelle Complications from oral cancer and the toxic effects of treatment — including demineralization, caries, fibrosis, candidiasis, pain, sensitivity, and aesthetic concerns — can continue long after any evidence of cancer is apparent, experts reported at the World Dental Congress 2019. One of the major toxic effects is changes in saliva, said Joel Epstein, DMD, director of cancer dentistry at the Cedars Sinai Health System in Los Angeles and director of dental oncology at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California. Another problem area — one that is often ignored — is taste, he told Medscape Medical News. And toxic effects are common, he added, citing one study that showed that 16% of patients experienced dental toxicity in the year after undergoing radiotherapy. The rates increased to 36% after 3 years, 55% after 5 years, and 74% after 7 years. For patients undergoing cancer therapy, dentists should look at overall oral hygiene, decay prevention, lip lubrication, dental emergencies, and oral mucosal infections, Epstein told the audience during his presentation on the management of patients with oral cancer, both during and after treatment. Fortunately, there are a lot of things that dentists can help with, he pointed out. For example, fluoride can be used to promote mineralization and chlorhexidine rinse can be used to reduce cariogenic bacteria. And photobiomodulation therapy, or low-level laser light therapy, can be used for the prevention of mucositis, which can be particularly painful, he added. Pain related to oral [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-12-04T09:04:47-07:00December, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Oral mucositis: preventing the side effect before undergoing cancer treatment

Source: www.curetoday.com/ Author: Katie Kosko Oral mucositis can be painful and, in some cases, require hospitalization of patients being treated for cancer with chemotherapy and other radiation therapies. However, along with your care team, you can take steps to prevent this uncomfortable side effect. In an interview CURE®, Dr. Alessandro Villa, assistant professor in oral medicine and dentistry at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, spotlighted the number of patients with cancer who are affected by oral mucositis, explained the benefits of two agents approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for intervention and explored how patients can control the side effect from the comfort of their homes. CURE®: Can you explain what types of cancer treatment cause oral mucositis? Villa: Oral mucositis is an iconic toxicity of cancer therapy and remains one of the most painful and disrupting side effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. When I talk about radiation therapy, I talk about patients with head and neck cancer. In these patients, usually 100% receiving radiation therapy develop oral mucositis. We also see mucositis in approximately 60% to 80% of patients who undergo bone marrow transplants. And finally, we see it in 20% to 40% of patients who receive conventional chemotherapy for any cancer. What are the consequences of oral mucositis? Oral mucositis is one of the most painful toxicities in patients receiving radiation therapy to the head and neck. It’s the number one cause of hospitalization in these patients. It can [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-11-03T10:21:56-07:00November, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Light therapy could prevent cancer treatment-related oral mucositis

Source: www.healio.com Author: Jennifer Southall Light therapy appeared to be an effective intervention for the prevention of painful oral mucositis associated with cancer treatment, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis. “Many patients [with cancer] can now benefit from this treatment,” Praveen R. Arany, DDS, PhD, assistant professor of oral biology and biomedical engineering at University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, said in a press release. “The staggering breadth of clinical application for photobiomodulation therapy, or light therapy, has been both a boon and a bane for the field. Several anecdotal clinical reports have been plagued with questionable rationales and inconsistent outcomes, often relegating this treatment to a pseudoscience.” Arany and colleagues systematically reviewed published literature in an effort to update the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the use of photobiomodulation — including laser and other light therapies — for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis among patients with cancer. Patients underwent treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, head and neck radiotherapy, or head and neck radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. Study findings supported the use of photobiomodulation therapy for the prevention of oral mucositis among certain patients with cancer. HemOnc Today spoke with Arany about the research and the clinical implications of the findings. Question: What prompted this research? Answer: The current forms of cancer treatment are all essential to reduce cancer burden. Unfortunately, complications from these treatments include oral mucositis pain. This not only has a significant impact on quality of life, but also often requires [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-09-07T07:38:49-07:00September, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Oral rinse could improve mouth pain associated with radiation therapy

Source: www.specialtypharmacytimes.com Author: staff An oral rinse containing diphenhydramine, lidocaine, and antacids, was found to significantly decrease pain caused by oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer compared with placebo, according to a study published in JAMA. The multi-institution, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial was led by Robert Miller, MD, an emeritus Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist. "Our group published a study in 2012 showing that an oral rinse of doxepin reduced oral mucositis-related pain compared to placebo," Miller said in a press release. "However, there were no large randomized controlled trials studying the potential benefits of magic mouthwash." The researchers evaluated 275 patients between November 2014 and May 2016. The study revealed that treatment with both doxepin and the mouthwash combination significantly reduced pain associated with oral mucositis compared with placebo. The doxepin and mouthwash combination treatment was also well-tolerated by patients, according to the study. "Radiation therapy may cause mouth sores because it is designed to kill rapidly growing cells, such as cancer cells," co-author, Terence Sio, MD, a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist, said in a press release. "Unfortunately, healthy cells in your mouth also divide and grow rapidly, and may be damaged during radiation therapy, which can cause discomfort. We're glad to have identified a proven method to help treat the discomfort of this side effect."

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-05-02T14:02:15-07:00May, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Scientists to test light therapy as relief from side effects of cancer treatment

Source: www.photonics.com Author: staff University at Buffalo (UB) researchers have received part of a $1.5 million grant to investigate light therapy as a replacement for prescription opioids in treating oral mucositis, painful ulcers, and swelling in the mouth that result from chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. Funded by the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research Small Business Innovation Research program, the grant will help the researchers determine the effectiveness of photobiomodulation in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis after cancer treatment. At a high power, light, often in the form of a laser, is used in medicine to cut or destroy tissue. But at a low level, it has the ability to relieve pain and promote healing. Courtesy of Douglas Levere, University at Buffalo The grant was awarded to Cleveland-based MuReva Phototherapy, a spin-off company of lighting solutions manufacturer Lumitex, to further develop the light technology. UB received $511,000 of the award to test the technology. The research, led by Praveen Arany, DDS, assistant professor in the UB School of Dental Medicine, will be performed in collaboration with faculty from the Departments of Radiation Medicine and Oral Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The current epidemic of opioids has impacted cancer care, especially for cancer pain relief,” Arany said. “This treatment offers a simple, nondrug, noninvasive treatment approach to relieve pain and improve quality of life for cancer patients. The striking lab and clinical evidence for photobiomodulation treatments in supportive cancer care has demonstrated tremendous [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-02-15T14:14:51-07:00February, 2019|Oral Cancer News|