Mucositis
Mucositis is usually a side effect of cancer treatment.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are very effective treatments for killing cancer cells, butcan also damage healthy cells, particularly cells in your mucous membrane, which are more vulnerable to damage. The mucous membrane is the soft layer of tissue lining your digestive system, from the mouth to the anus.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy damage the DNA of the cells on the lining of your mucous membrane, which damages the cells and prevents them from regenerating.
This causesthe layer of tissue lining your mucous membraneto eventually break down, and ulcers will form. Your cancer treatment team will make every effort to limit the damage to your mucous membrane, but it's not always possible to prevent damage occurring.
Biological therapies, also called targeted therapies, are another type of cancer treatment that can cause oral mucositis.
Some cases are thought to be different from mucositis caused by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, although they're poorly understood.
Certain things can increase your risk of developing mucositis, or may increase your risk of mucositis being severe. These include:
Mucositis can also sometimesdevelop during and after a stem cell transplant ( bone marrow transplant ). This is because cancer treatments are used in combination with medicines that reduce the effectiveness of your immune system (the body's natural defence against infection and illness) during this procedure.
Mucositis is a condition that causes pain and inflammation of the surface of the mucous membrane.
Mucositis is usually a side effect of cancer treatment.
Mucositis can usually be diagnosed after a physical examination and a description of your symptoms.
There is no single treatment for mucositis, as it largely depends on which type of mucositis you have and exactly what caused it.
Some treatments can be taken before you receive cancer therapy to try to reduce the severity and duration of mucositis.