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Mucositis grades and yeast species
Marina Ognjenović1, Katja Milatić, Katica Parat
1University of Split, School of Medicine, Split, Croatia. marina.ognjenovic@st.t-com.hr
Collegium Antropologicum
|August 15, 2013
Summary
This study found that oral mucositis severity significantly increased with changes in oral yeast profiles during and after irradiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients. Yeast species diversity also increased during treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Microbiology
- Radiotherapy
Background:
- Oral mucositis is a common side effect of radiotherapy for oral, head, and neck cancers.
- Inflammation of the oral mucosa can also be caused by Candida albicans, a common yeast.
- The relationship between oral mucositis severity and the oral yeast profile in irradiated patients requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the connection between oral mucositis grades and the oral yeast profile.
- To analyze changes in yeast species before, during, and after irradiation therapy.
- To determine the clinical significance of yeast colonization in irradiated oral cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 25 surgically treated oral, head, and neck cancer patients undergoing irradiation therapy.
- Oral yeast cultures and mucositis grading were performed before, during, and three weeks after irradiation.
- Statistical analysis was used to assess the significance of changes in mucositis grades and yeast profiles.
Main Results:
- Oral mucositis grades ranged from "0" to "2" before irradiation, increasing to "0" to "4" during irradiation, and decreasing to "1" to "3" three weeks after treatment.
- The percentage of positive yeast smears increased from 20% before irradiation to 36% during irradiation, then decreased to 20% after treatment.
- The diversity of oral yeast species increased from two species (Candida krusei, Candida albicans) before irradiation to five species (C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during irradiation.
Conclusions:
- A significant increase in mucositis grades was observed concurrently with significant changes in the oral fungi profile (p = 0.0037).
- The study highlights a correlation between the severity of oral mucositis and the alterations in oral yeast colonization patterns during and after radiotherapy.
- Further research is warranted to explore the causative role of specific yeast species in the development and progression of oral mucositis.
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