The Comparison between Using Normal Saline solution Versus Normal Saline Solution Plus Dexamethasone in Treatment of Radiation induced Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients who receive radiotherapy at Lopburi Cancer Hospital.

Abstract

Background: From the record between 2017–2019, head and neck cancers were considered to be the most common cancer in male patients at Lopburi Cancer Hospital. Radiotherapy has been very effective in treatment of these head and neck cancer patients. However, the most common acute side effect in treatment head and neck cancer patients with radiotherapy is oral mucositis. Normal saline solution has been used in order to relieve this symptom. Anyway, there are still high incidence of more than 90% of patients who experience this symptom despite using normal saline solution.There are many studies that try to find the solution in treatment of this oral mucositis condition. One study used dexamethasone plus normal saline solution in breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy. The results showed that this combined solutions decreased rate of oral mucositis about 45.8%. Objective: To compare the rate of radiation induced oral mucositis between using normal saline solution versus dexamethasone plus normal saline solution in head and neck cancer patients who receive radiotherapy Methods: There were 44 patients in this study which were divided into 2 groups equally, the control group and the study group. Control group received normal saline solution and study group received dexamethasone plus normal saline solution. Our tools in this study included general data form and oral mucositis grading form. Fisher’s exact test was us for data analysis. Result: No statistically significant different in rate of radiation induced oral mucositis between two study groups (p-value =1.000) Conclusion: Dexamethasone plus normal saline solution in head and neck cancer patients who receive radiotherapy as primary treatment did not decrease the rate of radiation induced oral mucositis when compared with normal saline solution alone.