Oral Mucositis

Abstract

Mucositis is a generalized term used to denote either oral or gastrointestinal mucositis as a consequence of cancer therapy. This chapter will describe the epidemiology of mucositis in relation to radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, chemotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Clinical features, risk factors and pathogenesis of mucositis are covered in depth. In addition, the current consensus on mucositis management and economic consequences are reviewed in this chapter. Although considered to have a different pathogenesis, targeted therapy related oral mucosal adverse effects are often referred in the literature as mucositis or stomatitis. This entity is described in this chapter, too.