Oral Health and Dental Management

Abstract

Patient-reported Measurements of Oral Mucositis in Pediatric Patients with Cancer

Jenei Ágnes, Sandor János, Gyurina Katalin, Nemes Judit, Kiss Csongor, Marton Ildikó J

Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of oral mucositis (OM) on oral-health related quality of life (QoL) among pediatric patients with cancer using Patient-Reported Oral Mucositis Symptom (PROMS) questionnaire. Methods: Seventy-five consequtive newly diagnosed patients undergoing chemotherapy because of different forms of cancer between the age of 8 and 18 yrs were included in the study. Children undergoing chemotherapy were required to complete the questionnaire at admission and weekly during the treatment. Results: Oral mucositis due to therapy was observed in 53/75 patients. The total PROMS score has increased gradually with a peak on day 21. A transient decrease of the total PROMS score was marked on day 28 followed by a second peak on day 35. We found significant correlations between WBC and the frequency of oral mucositis on day 7, 14 and 21. We found significant association between PROMS scores and oral mucositis scores according to the WHO protocol. Conclusions: According to our findings, oral mucositis is a common side-effect of chemotherapy which develops often in children with cancer. Based on its easy administration, PROMS questionnaire is suitable to measure self-reported changes in oral health of pediatric cancer patients.