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Goal of work: This study compared the severity of oral mucositis, pain and xerostomia during and at the completion of radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients who had received antifungal and antiviral treatment. Patients: The study included 135 patients. Mean total radiotherapy dose was 62.4 Gray. Chemotherapy was administered to 47% of patients. Methods: Oral mucositis was scored weekly, while patients self-evaluated their pain and xerostomia. Cytology smears for the assessment of herpetic infection complicating the ulcers of mucositis were taken from 46 patients. Systemic antifungals and antivirals were administered during radiotherapy, upon clinical, presumptive diagnosis of candidiasis and herpetic infection. Antifungals and antivirals were continued to the end of radiotherapy. Results: Radiotherapy was completed within the preplanned time in 117 patients (87%). During radiotherapy, the prevalence of severe mucositis, pain and xerostomia was 57%, 43% and 29% respectively, and was significantly reduced to 33%, (P |
