Oral monilia study on patients with head and neck cancer during radiotherapy

Abstract

One hundred one cases of head and neck cancer were subjected to oral culture for Candida albicans before, during, and 1 month after radiotherapy. Thirty percent of the patients had a positive culture before radiotherapy. During the course of radiotherapy, almost half of the negative patients turned positive. The severity of the acute radiation reaction of the oropharyngeal mucosa was not related to the apparent presence or absence of Candida albicans. Amphotericin B (1 cm3 (100 mg) q.i.d.) converted about one‐third of the positive patients to negative. However, only 1 of these converted patients showed some clinical improvement of the acute „radiation reaction.” It would appear that „sterilization” of the oral cavity with this fungicide during radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer is not justified. Copyright © 1974 American Cancer Society