[gabel.164]

I see the providers at Sscbc using dexamethasone suspension with the severe cases. I can’t speak to whether or not patients are on chemotherapy or immune therapy. In the literature it states it would be used for immune-related mucosal toxicity.

I also found it interesting that honey made the list for management of oral mucositis.

[lu-hsu.24]

Hello everyone, my name is Stephanie Hsu and I work in the clinical trials unit.
What was the knowledge gained from the article?
The knowledge gained from these journals was that I was unaware that the prevalence of mucositis in bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients was as high as 80%, I was expecting these results in head and neck patients, which is above 90%. I was not aware of it also affecting patients receiving targeted and immune therapies that are different in pathobiology, presentation, and management. It seems to be so challenging since there is so little we can offer our patients, besides ice chips and popsicles. I have found this to only help with comfort, but not to prevent mucositis from occurring.
Will the research/information in this article change or influence your practice? If so how?
Although both journals shared interesting information and I gained new knowledge I do not really see myself changing my nursing practice a great deal. The issue of mucositis that our patients have to deal with has been ongoing and I have yet to find a therapy that truly prevents this side effect. I have seen delay onset and decrease the severity of mucositis, but nothing that prevents it, as of yet.
Do you agree/disagree with the conclusions of the author, why?
I agree that more research needs to occur and mucositis’ pathobiology has evolved as we introduce new therapies and toxicities have changed frequently, especially in clinical trials. We need to find better preventative measures so these patients do not need to further complex their treatments with nutritional deficits needing such things as PEG placements, only to further increase issues with infections.

[lu-hsu.24]

Kelly,
Yes, I did have a patient on study for mucositis. The clinical trial was OSU-15198.
The purpose of this phase 2, clinical trial was to “determine if GC4419 administered prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reduces the incidence, duration, and severity of radiation induced oral mucositis in patients who have been diagnosed with locally advanced, non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck” (OSU-OnCore, 2015).
The Ohio State University Medical Center-OnCore Clinical Trials Office (2015).
Retrieved from https://oncore.osumc.edu/smrs/PRBrowseServlet

Greg,
I agree we do not typically use cryotherapy very often and therapies we do use are limited to ice chips, popsicles, and scalp cooling. I also agree that it would not be possible for patients to chew ice cubes for 46 hours during their home pump infusion.

Jen,
I am interested to see how your new trial prevents or lessens the side effect of mucositis using oral cryotherapy for colorectal cancer patients.

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