NF-κB as a Potential Target for the Treatment and Prevention of Mucositis

Mucositis is a debilitating and severe side effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It is responsible for reducing the patient's quality of life and represents a significant economic burden in oncology. Currently, there is no definitive and definite treatment for this disease. Intracellular signalling pathways have provided excellent drug development resources, particularly cancer therapeutic development. In recent decades, active research has been conducted to describe the pathogenesis of mucositis and the role of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathways in mucositis development. Insights into the mechanisms of mucositis are creating new approaches for effective targeted treatment and their success in clinical use. Several studies have concentrated on elucidating the functional significance of NF-kB activation and its signalling mechanisms in mucositis in recent decades. Also, evidence indicates that NF-κB is the primary node for the development and progression of mucositis. Its altered expression is associated with increased mucosal injury in mucositis. Hence, regulating the activation of NF-κB could be a powerful strategy for the clinical management of mucositis. Thus, this review examines the role of NF-κB as a potential therapeutic target for chemotherapy and radiation-induced mucositis therapy.