Evaluation of Oral Mucositis and its Risk Factors in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy Treatment

Introduction:  Oral mucositis is a painful and debilitating condition, often observed as an acute adverse effect of antineoplastic treatment. Patient-related risk factors, as age and gender, as well as treatment variables, as dose and irradiated area, can influence the severity of mucositis, negatively impacting the quality of life of cancer patients and the progress of the treatment.

Objective:  To analyze the prevalence of oral mucositis and identify the main risk factors associated with its occurrence and severity in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy.

Method:  Cross-sectional observational retrospective study, based on the analysis of 209 medical records of patients treated at the "Hospital do Câncer de Muriaé" between 2018 and 2022.

Results:  The results showed a significant association between female gender and the occurrence of mucositis (p=0.020), as well as tumors located in the tongue and mouth (p=0.022). The use of nasogastric tubes was also associated with worsening of mucositis (p<0.001), and increased use according to the severity of the lesion. Patients with xerostomia were more likely to develop the condition (p=0.019). Furthermore, mucositis was more prevalent and severe in patients undergoing radiotherapy for curative purposes, compared to palliative (p=0.001 and p=0.013, respectively).

Conclusion:  Factors as gender, tumor location, xerostomia, use of tubes and type of radiotherapy directly influence the occurrence and severity of oral mucositis. These findings reinforce the importance of individualized prevention strategies for more effective management of this condition.

Key words:
Mouth Neoplasms; Radiotherapy; Stomatitis; Risk Factors