Source: North American Press Syndicate (www.napsnet.com)
Author: press release

Each year, millions of cancer patients successfully fight back against their disease with the help of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. But these treatments are not without potentially painful side effects. Fortunately, thanks to an advanced oral electrolyte solution, one of the most common side effects can be overcome.

Oral mucositis (OM) affects more than 400,000 cancer patients each year-approximately 40 percent of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy, more than 70 percent of those undergoing conditioning therapy for bone marrow transplantation, and virtually all patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

OM usually manifests itself within seven to 14 days after initiation of therapy. Initial signs and symptoms include redness, swelling and ulceration of the mucosa. The condition can cause mouth pain, xerostomia (dryness of the mouth or throat) and difficulty eating and drinking, as well as difficulty with speech; these effects can significantly impact a patient’s weight, mood and physical functioning.

“This extremely debilitating condition results from erosion of epithelial cells in the oral cavity [cells lining the surface of the throat and esophagus] during therapy, and often causes severe pain, difficulty eating and swallowing and greater susceptibility to infection,” explains Marilyn L. Haas, Ph.D., RN, CNS, ANP-C, nurse practitioner, Mountain Radiation Oncology. “For cancer patients at high risk of oral mucositis, Caphosol can be an important component of treatment.”

Caphosol is an advanced electrolyte solution that has a favorable impact on the occurrence and severity of oral mucositis. According to a recent study, low rates of OM were reported with Caphosol treatment-more than half (60 percent) of the patients did not develop OM, while only 20 percent developed Grade 1 (mild) OM and 15 percent developed Grade 2 OM.

Caphosol use also appeared to impact patients’ need for pain medication due to OM. Fifty-four percent of study participants did not require pain medication, while 25 percent used opiates and 21 percent used nonopiate medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. High levels of patient satisfaction were reported among Caphosol users.

A kind of oral solution has been shown to favorably impact both the incidence and severity of a common side effect of cancer therapies.