Chemo-Radiotherapy Induced Oral Complications and Their Care in Cancer Patients

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a randomized control trial protocol to assess the effectiveness of an oral care protocol on chemotherapy- and/ or radiation therapy-induced oral complications in cancer patients. It was a randomized, outcome assessor blinded study. Patients were randomly allotted to a control and intervention group. Out of 68 patients 25 patients were treated only by radiotherapy, 32 patients were treated only by chemotherapy and 11 patients received both radio and chemotherapy. Most of the patients developed sensitivity, altered taste, oral thrush, mucositis, trismus and xerostemia during and after palliative treatment. Here patients having pain during therapy 22.01% and 30.09% before therapy, patients had a change of taste after therapy86.8% and 63.2% had a change of taste during therapy, patients had developed mucositis before therapy 4.4% and 64.7% had developed mucisitis during therapy, patients had developed trismus before therapy 8.8% and 42.6% had developed trismus during therapy. Here most of the respondents had inadequate knowledge and practice about oral care but there was no correlation between family histories of cancer. Under this study 27 staff nurses were working in radiation/chemotherapy oncology areas from the tertiary levels of hospitals. Here 51.3% nurses had a very poor knowledge regarding oral care and the major (81.0%) groups of them were suggested for training in the specific area. On the basis of survey report the respondent groups of nurses provided information are the main source of oral care information. The association between selected demographic factors data on age and education were also recorded. The result shows there was no correlation between family history of cancer patients and enough knowledge of the respondent groups. From this study it may be suggested that proper knowledge should be provided to the peoples to prevent major oral diseases specially for cancer in future in Bangladesh.

J Bio-Sci. 30(1): 143-153, 2022 (June)