MouthMade

What are the consequences of oral mucositis?

Pain
Pain is the major symptom of oral mucositis (OM). It can make it very difficult to eat and drink, at a time when people with cancer need the physical strength to cope with aggressive cancer therapies. Without enough food and drink, people may feel weak, become dehydrated and lose weight.

Infection
The sores and ulcers that line a mouth as a result of oral mucositis are at serious risk of infection. With poor oral hygiene, viruses, bacteria or fungi can infect the exposed ulcers. If this happens the infection may move into the blood, called a blood infection or septicaemia. People receiving a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) are more likely to get infections and septicaemia, as treatment means their bodies are less able to fight off infection.

Loss of taste
The tongue is very sensitive to radiation. If it is exposed during radiotherapy the taste buds on the tongue's surface can become damaged. Some patients may even experience a complete loss of taste during radiotherapy. The taste buds will usually begin working normally again within 4 months of finishing treatment, although the long-term effect is different from person-to-person and in some cases the taste buds may never fully recover.

Treatment outcome
Perhaps the most worrying consequence of oral mucositis is that many people develop it so severely it affects the dose of chemotherapy their body can cope with. This could ultimately influence the success of the cancer treatment.

Other
People with oral mucositis can sometimes feel ashamed of their condition and so they spend less and less time with their family, children and friends. This, coupled with the inability to eat and talk, can lead to social isolation and psychological distress.

If getting enough food becomes a major concern, the use of a feeding tube may be needed to ensure the person receives enough food to cope with their therapy. The tube will be inserted through the nose if feeding is only needed for a short time, but it can be inserted directly into the stomach if longer term feeding is necessary.

Always speak to your doctor or nurse if you are worried about oral mucositis.

Download an oral mucositis patient factsheet for your own information and why not print out a nurse factsheet to give to your nurse.