ASSESSMENT OF THERAPY AND INTERVENTIONS FOR ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY
Abstract
Relevance. Lesions of the oral mucosa are among the most common and clinically significant complications of anticancer chemotherapy. The most frequent manifestation is oral mucositis, which is accompanied by pain, erythema, ulcerative defects, impaired nutrition, reduced quality of life, and an increased risk of secondary infection. Oral mucositis is considered a common complication of cytotoxic anticancer treatment and is characterized by inflammation, erythema, and ulceration of the oral mucosa.
Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to assess modern therapeutic approaches and clinical interventions for oral mucosal lesions developing after chemotherapy and to justify an algorithm for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Materials and methods. A review and analytical synthesis of current clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, and scientific studies devoted to chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, basic oral care, local anti-inflammatory therapy, pain control, oral cryotherapy, photobiomodulation, and prevention of infectious complications were carried out.
Results. The analysis showed that effective management of oral mucosal lesions after chemotherapy should be comprehensive and include regular assessment of lesion severity, oral sanitation, patient education, atraumatic oral care, pain control, prevention of secondary infection, nutritional support, and, when indicated, specific preventive methods such as oral cryotherapy and photobiomodulation. Published studies confirm that strict adherence to oral hygiene protocols is associated with a reduced risk of ulcerative lesions and severe mucositis.
Conclusion. The most rational strategy for managing patients with oral mucosal lesions after chemotherapy is early prevention, standardized assessment of severity, interdisciplinary cooperation between the dentist, oncologist, and nursing staff, and individualized selection of local and systemic interventions depending on the degree of mucositis, pain syndrome, risk of neutropenia, and the patient’s general condition.
Keywords
chemotherapy, oral mucosa, oral mucositis, stomatitis, oncology dentistry, prevention, photobiomodulation, cryotherapy, pain control.
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