scholarly journals Exploring Health Professionals’ Perceptions of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy-Related Oral Mucositis

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Kang ◽  
Mark Schifter ◽  
Terry Whittle ◽  
Jennifer Curnow ◽  
Michael Veness ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Radiation Oncology ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Haematopoietic Stem Cell ◽  
Oral Medicine ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Complete Treatment ◽  
Question Survey

Abstract Purpose Determine health professionals’ (HPs’) perceptions of oral mucositis (OM), including clinical presentation of chemotherapy (CT)-induced vs radiation therapy (RT)-induced OM, its assessment and management. Methods HPs involved in the care of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving RT to the oral cavity/oropharynx and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients receiving mucositis-inducing CT regimens were invited to participate in a customised 20-question survey. Themes included OM presentation, assessment and management. Results Survey response rate was 81.4%. Most were nurses (33%) and specialist doctors/dentists (25%). Majority (45%) identified as part of the haematology service, followed by radiation oncology (32%). Most haematology and radiation oncology HPs (89% and 70%, respectively) agreed/strongly agreed that OM impacted patients’ ability to complete treatment. There was a significant association (p<0.01) between HPs’ specialty and their perceptions of OM manifestations. Most radiation oncology (85%) and all oral medicine HPs agreed/strongly agreed that clinical manifestations of CT-induced OM and RT-induced OM were different, whereas haematology HPs varied in their perceptions (11% disagreed, 41% were neutral and 48% agreed/strongly agreed). There was uncertainty regarding differences in management of CT vs RT-induced OM: 30% of haematology HPs and 45% of radiation oncology HPs agreed/strongly agreed but most (52% and 45%, respectively in each group) responded “neutral.” Conclusion OM was recognised to adversely impact HSCT and HNC RT patients’ ability to complete treatment. There were differences in HPs’ perceived understanding of OM manifestations and management. Interventions to address these may reduce unwanted variations in patient care and outcomes.

scholarly journals Microcirculatory alterations in patients with oropharyngeal cancer after radiation therapy: A possible correlation with mucositis?

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 128-133
Author(s):  
Hoang Giao Nguyen ◽  
Anatoly Avanesov ◽  
Evgeniya Gvozdikova ◽  
Elena Kandakova ◽  
Lyudmila Kruchinina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Mucous Membrane ◽  
Oral Mucosa ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Malignant Tumors ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Malignant Neoplasms ◽  
Moderate Inverse Correlation

Background: Patients affected by several forms of malignant neoplasms receive chemotherapy (CT) or radiation therapy (RT). These treatments can cause many side effects, such as oral mucositis (OM). Mucositis is the most frequently occurring early side effect of conservative treatment of patients with malignant tumors in the head and neck, and it is registered in more than 60% of cases. It occurs due to the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs on the cells of the mucous membrane, which causes their death, and to a greater extent, due to the effect of ionizing radiation on the endothelium of the blood vessels and the basal cells of the mucous membrane the submucosa. Objectives: To assess the correlation between the indicators of hemomicrocirculation of the oral mucosa and the intensity of the clinical manifestations of oral mucositis. Results: It was found that, in all the subgroups, the severity index of mucositis National Cancer Institute (NCI) clearly correlated with the indicators of the flow of microcirculation through the study area at point A (r = -0.85, -0.99 and -0.77). At point A, blood perfusion in the study of hemomicrocirculation in all the subgroups 18–44 g in Ia, 45–59 g and 60–74 g in Ic was the opposite of the value of the severity of mucositis. A strong negative correlation was found between the severity of mucositis and the perfusion index at point B in subgroup Ia : (r = -0.99) along with, a moderate inverse correlation in subgroups Ib (r = -0.69) and Ic (r = -0.36). At point B, a strong inverse correlation was found in subgroups Ib and Ic (r = -0.72 and -0.65, respectively), and a moderate inverse correlation was found in subgroup Ia — NCI where r = -0.32. Conclusions: There is a negative correlation between the indicators of hemomicrocirculation of the oral mucosa and the severity of oral mucositis. It was found that the higher the lesions of the microvasculature, the lower the intensity of mucositis. These data have important prognostic value and make it possible to recommend the determination of hemomicrocirculation as a screening test.

Commercial Insurance Coverage of Advanced Radiation Therapy Techniques Compared With American Society for Radiation Oncology Model Policies

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 324-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Verma ◽  
Ethan B. Ludmir ◽  
Shane M. Mesko ◽  
Eric D. Brooks ◽  
Alexander Augustyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Radiation Oncology ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Commercial Insurance ◽  
American Society

scholarly journals Radiation therapy for the whole breast: Executive summary of an American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) evidence-based guideline

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin D. Smith ◽  
Jennifer R. Bellon ◽  
Rachel Blitzblau ◽  
Gary Freedman ◽  
Bruce Haffty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Radiation Oncology ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Executive Summary ◽  
American Society ◽  
Evidence Based Guideline

scholarly journals Prevention and correction of radiation dermatitis with basic skin care: doctor and patient consensus

2021 ◽  
pp. 167-172
Author(s):  
D. A. Khlanta ◽  
D. S. Romanov
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
External Beam Radiation ◽  
Radiation Dermatitis ◽  
Beam Radiation ◽  
Post Radiation

External beam radiation therapy is widely used by doctors around the world as one of the most common form of cancer treatment. The radiotherapy can help reduce the treatment aggression as compared with the surgical intervention in a large number of clinical situations, which ensures that the patient's quality of life will be decreased to a lesser extent in the after-treatment period. However, like the vast majority of anticancer treatments, the radiation therapy has a number of side effects, which are classified into acute radiation reactions and post-radiation injuries. Among them is radiation dermatitis, which is one of the most common adverse reactions to the radiotherapy. This complication manifests as erythema, as well as hyperpigmentation, dry and itchy skin, hair loss. In addition to the obvious negative impact on the patient's quality of life, some of the above factors can result in the development of a secondary skin infection. As one of the most frequent post-radiation complications, radiation dermatitis places radiotherapists before a challenge to reduce the incidence rates of this side effect, as well as to decrease the intensity of its clinical manifestations if it occurs. This challenge suggests the search for targeted drugs aimed to prevent and treat clinical symptoms. To date, dermatocosmetic products that are used to relieve skin manifestations of radiation treatment complications is an alternate option of the effective solution to the problem of radiation dermatitis. In the described clinical case, we assess the experience of using some of the dermatocosmetic products in a patient with a florid form of radiation dermatitis. 

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