Effect of fluconazole antifungal prophylaxis on oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy
- 10 June 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Supportive Care in Cancer
- Vol. 14 (1), 44-51
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-005-0835-2
Abstract
The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of fluconazole antifungal prophylaxis on the severity of mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Sixty-three patients, with malignant head and neck tumor, eligible to receive radiotherapy, entered the study. Thirty-four patients (group A) received 100 mg/day of fluconazole prophylaxis during radiotherapy and were compared with 29 patients, who received radiotherapy alone (group B). The two groups were similar in terms of patients and radiotherapy characteristics. Smear to test for Candida carriage was taken before and after radiotherapy. Oral candidiasis was diagnosed using the criteria described before. Oral mucositis was recorded according to EORTC/RTOG criteria. A significant reduction of severe mucositis at the end of radiotherapy (14.7 vs 44.8%, p=0.018) and of interruptions (0 vs 17.2%, p=0.017) was observed in group A. Candidiasis was prevented (0 vs 34.5%, p=0.001), with a significant reduction of Candida carriage of 40.7% (p=0.001). Fluconazole prophylaxis showed a significant beneficial impact on the severity of mucositis and on radiotherapy interruptions in this group of patients. The current study provides data on the build of a randomized controlled trial on the effect of fluconazole prophylaxis on treatment schedule and quality of life of the patients during head and neck radiotherapy.This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Oral pseudomembranous candidiasis, herpes simplex virus‐1 infection, and oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) mouthwashJournal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, 2001
- Mucositis reduction by selective elimination of oral flora in irradiated cancers of the head and neck: a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized studyInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2001
- Candida dubliniensis at a Cancer CenterClinical Infectious Diseases, 2001
- Toxicity criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and the European organization for research and treatment of cancer (EORTC)International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 1995
- Risk factors for oropharyngeal candidiasis in patients who receive radiation therapy for malignant conditions of the head and neckOral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, 1993
- Effect of selective elimination of the oral flora on mucositis in irradiated head and neck cancer patientsJournal of Surgical Oncology, 1991
- Scoring irradiation mucositis in head and neck cancer patientsJournal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, 1989
- Influence of radiation therapy on oralCandida albicans colonization: A quantitative assessmentOral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, 1987
- Yeast flora of the mouth and skin uring and after irradiation or oral and laryngeal cancerJournal of Medical Microbiology, 1981
- The prevalence and intra-oral distribution of Candida albicans in manArchives of Oral Biology, 1980