Mucositis pain induced by radiation therapy: prevalence, severity, and use of self-care behaviors.

Pain from radiation therapy (RT)-induced mucositis is a significant clinical problem for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern, severity, and time course of RT-induced mucositis pain; self-care behaviors (SCBs) used to manage mucositis pain; and the effectiveness of these behaviors in relieving such pain. Forty-nine patients with HNC were assessed using the MacDibbs Mouth Assessment Tool to determine the severity of RT-induced mucositis pain over their course of RT and at a one-month follow-up visit.

Radiation-induced mucositis: a randomized clinical trial of micronized sucralfate versus salt & soda mouthwashes.

Oral mucositis is one of the major toxicities caused by radiation therapy (RT) treatments to the head and neck. The clinical efficacy of sucralfate (Carafate R) mouthwash for head and neck cancer patients (HNC) is not consistent across studies. In this study, it was hypothesized that if the particles in the original sucralfate suspension were micronized (i.

Factors influencing oral mucositis in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Purpose: Oral mucositis is a painful complication of chemotherapy and can greatly affect patients' morbidity and mortality. Findings from two previous studies suggested a decrease in the prevalence of chemotherapy-induced mucositis in patients with solid tumors. The purposes of this study were to follow a large cohort of outpatients to determine the prevalence of mucositis and to identify whether certain clinical factors were significant in the development of mucositis.

A comparison of the affective state and quality of life of chemotherapy patients who do and do not develop chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to compare the quality of life and affective state of patients receiving chemotherapy who developed oral mucositis to patients who did not. Outpatients had their mouths assessed at the beginning of their chemotherapy, completed the Multidimensional Quality of Life scale, Cancer version (MQOLS-CA) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Patients again completed the MQOLS-CA and POMS if they developed mucositis during their three cycles (monthly), or if they did not and were exiting the study.

Randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of 3 commonly used mouthwashes to treat chemotherapy-induced mucositis.

Objective: To test the effectiveness of 3 mouthwashes used to treat chemotherapy-induced mucositis. The mouthwashes were as follows: salt and soda, chlorhexidine, and "magic" mouthwash (lidocaine, Benadryl, and Maalox).

Study Design: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was implemented in 23 outpatient and office settings.