Investigation of Oral Mucositis Incidence and Risk Factors in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Oral mucositis is a common complication of cancer treatment that may negatively impact the patient’s cancer treatment outcome. This study was done to determine the incidence of oral mucositis development and risk factors in patients receiving chemotherapy. Material and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 150 participants undergoing outpatient cancer chemotherapy. To determine the development of oral mucositis, the participants were evaluated for the first course of chemotherapy (day 0) and the next course of chemotherapy treatment (day 14). ‘Patient Information Form’ and the World Health Organization’ Mucositis Grading Scale’ were used to collect data for the study. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, and logistic regression were used to analyze the results. Results: According to oral mucosal assessment, incidence of oral mucositis was 27.3%. The mean onset and the mean recovery of oral mucositis were 4.16 ± 2.13 days and 8.72 ± 2.32 days. The most common oral problems were mouth dryness (53.3%), dental caries (44%), and decreased sense of taste (32%). In the oral mucosal assessment performed on the 14th day, 9 patients were found to be grade 1. Patients with a history of mucositis (OR = 5.76, Cl = 2.33–14.24, p = 0.00) showed a significantly higher incidence of oral mucositis. Conclusion: In this study, the incidence of oral mucositis and risk factors that may affect the development of oral mucositis in patients receiving chemotherapy were investigated. Mucositis history was found as a risk factor in oral mucositis development. Early recovery of oral mucositis after chemotherapy was observed. Therefore, patients should be followed up in the early period after chemotherapy.