Basic oral care for hematology-oncology patients and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: a position paper from the joint task force of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO) and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).

PURPOSE: Hematology-oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients are at risk for oral complications which may cause significant morbidity and a potential risk of mortality. This emphasizes the importance of basic oral care prior to, during and following chemotherapy/HSCT. While scientific evidence is available to support some of the clinical practices used to manage the oral complications, expert opinion is needed to shape the current optimal protocols. METHODS: This position paper was developed by members of the Oral Care Study Group, Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO) and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in attempt to provide guidance to the health care providers managing these patient populations. RESULTS: The protocol on basic oral care outlined in this position paper is presented based on the following principles: prevention of infections, pain control, maintaining oral function, the interplay with managing oral complications of cancer treatment and improving quality of life. CONCLUSION: Using these fundamental elements, we developed a protocol to assist the health care provider and present a practical approach for basic oral care. Research is warranted to provide robust scientific evidence and to enhance this clinical protocol.

Safety and efficacy of an intra-oral electrostimulator for the relief of dry mouth in patients with chronic graft versus host disease: Case series.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) often suffer from dry mouth and oral mucosal lesions. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the safety of an intra-oral electrostimulator (GenNarino) in symptomatic cGVHD patients. The secondary objective was to study the impact on the salivary gland involvement of cGVHD patients. STUDY DESIGN: This paper presents a case series. The study included patients treated for 4 weeks, randomly assigned to the active device and then crossed-over to a sham-device or vice versa. The patients and clinicians were blind to the treatment delivered. Data regarding oral mucosal and salivary gland involvement were collected. RESULTS: Six patients were included in this series. Most of the intraoral areas with manifestations of cGVHD were not in contact with the GenNarino device. Two patients developed mild mucosal lesions in areas in contact with the GenNarino during the study. However, only one of them had a change in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) score for oral cGVHD. The unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate increased in 4 out of the 5 patients included in this analysis. Symptoms of dry mouth and general oral comfort improved. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that GenNarino is safe in cGVHD patients with respect to oral tissues. Furthermore the use of GenNarino resulted in subjective and objective improvements in dry mouth symptoms. A large scale study is needed to confirm the impact and safety of GenNarino on systemic cGVHD.

Improvement in oral chronic graft-versus-host disease with the administration of effervescent tablets of topical budesonide-an open, randomized, multicenter study.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) frequently involves oral tissues. Although the mucosal changes may be painful and impair oral function, there is currently no topical therapy available for oral cGVHD that has been proven to work in an evidence-based manner. The aims of this study were to (1) assess the response of patients with oral cGVHD to various doses of a new topical budesonide formulation; (2) evaluate the efficacy and safety of the new topical budesonide formulation in these patients. An open, randomized, multicenter phase II pilot study with 4 treatment arms differing in application frequency and duration was performed. Response to treatment was scored by the clinician and patient using several scales. Oral cGVHD improved in all patients, with a median reduction of 70%. Pain reduction was similar in all study arms. The rate of objective improvement (defined as ≥50%) was not significantly different among the 4 study arms. The safety profile was satisfactory. Topical budesonide mouthwash (3 mg/10 mL) improved oral cGVHD in all patients when applied for 5 or 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times daily. The response was similar in all treatment arms. Safety analysis supported a dosing schedule of 3 mg of budesonide 3 times a day for 10 minutes.

Validation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) scale for oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD).

The aim of this study was to validate the 2005-2006 National Institutes of Health (NIH) scale for patient's self-reporting and clinical manifestations of oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Numerical parameters of the NIH scale were analyzed for their construct validity (correlation of the NIH scale with numerical rating scale [NRS] for pain) and internal consistency reliability (correlation between different parameters of the same scale). Categoric parameters were analyzed by comparison between severity subgroups defined by the oral manifestation (lichenoid/erythema/ulceration). Analysis included data of 75 evaluations. The total NIH score and the NRS for pain were found to be moderately correlated (r=0.449). Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .718. Strong correlations were found between the total NIH score and both erythema and ulceration scores (r=0.746 and r=0.926, respectively). The difference between the 2 "severe" subgroups (ie, lichenoid and erythema/ulceration) was significant (P=.025). The difference between the moderate-erythema/ulceration subgroup and the severe-lichenoid subgroup was nonsignificant (total NIH score and NRS for pain: P=.276 and .291, respectively). The correlation between the total NIH score and the NRS for pain is only moderate. The internal consistency reliability analysis yielded good reliability, especially for erythema and ulceration. Analysis of categoric parameters suggests that the NIH scale disproportionately differentiates between moderate-erythema/ulceration and severe-lichenoid cGVHD.

A decision analysis: the dental management of patients prior to hematology cytotoxic therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

There is a controversy regarding whether dental treatment before chemotherapy protocols, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), is helpful to prevent infections during the consequent immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to develop a decision analysis framework that would test the effect of dental treatment prior to chemotherapy on the survival of the patient. A decision tree was created to compare the clinical outcomes of two treatment alternatives for a base-case patient receiving cytotoxics or undergoing HSCT. The variables used to build the model were "systemic infection", "unmet dental needs", "dental needs". The outcomes evaluate to compare the two strategies was "survival". We performed MEDLINE and PubMed searches of English-language literature according to a list of related terms. The decision analysis model selected dental treatment prior to chemotherapy as the preferred strategy for the base case analysis. The results of this study suggest that dental treatment prior to chemotherapy is the preferred treatment strategy. Using our base case data, 1.8 of every 1000 hemato-oncologic patients or HSCT patients will die compared to the non-treatment prior to chemotherapy strategy.

Budesonide: a novel treatment for oral chronic graft versus host disease.

OBJECTIVE: This clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of budesonide, a newly registered steroid with high potency and low bioavailability, for the treatment of chronic oral graft versus host disease (GVHD). STUDY DESIGN: Twelve patients with chronic resistant oral GVHD were treated with 3 mg budesonide/5 ml saline 2 to 3 times a day for up to 3 months. Oral manifestations were monitored, and mucosal response scored. RESULTS: All patients responded positively to the mouthwash, and 7 of the 12 patients were scored as having "good" or "complete" recovery by both examiner and subject. An early response noted within the first 2 to 3 weeks of treatment was complemented by a probable cumulative effect seen during the first months of treatment. CONCLUSION: Budesonide is suggested as an alternative treatment for chronic oral GVHD.

Oral posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder: an uncommon site for an uncommon disorder.

In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its new classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, including an entity named posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Because oral PTLD is of clinical relevance to oral health providers, the importance of distinguishing between PTLD and nontransplantation related lymphoma is outlined, and the clinical implications of oral PTLD are discussed.

Oral candidiasis prevention in transplantation patients: a comparative study.

AIM: Oral candidiasis occurs commonly in haematopoietic -stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients carrying a risk of systemic candidemia and mortality. The aim of this pilot study was to design an effective protocol that prevents oral candidiasis and improves tolerability. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, longitudinal study with two treatment groups, (A) chlorhexidine (CHX) and (B) CHX combined with medium-dose amphotericin B (AMB), was performed. The investigators were blinded to the treatment arm. RESULTS: No clinical signs of oral candidiasis were observed in any of the 20 patients. All patients experienced neutropenia and were treated with antibiotics. The duration of antibiotic treatment was longer in group A than that in group B. The difference in systemic anti-fungal treatment was insignificant. Compliance was achieved in both groups, although tolerability was better in group A than that in group B. CONCLUSION: Effective oral anti-fungal prevention based on topical AMB was suggested. CHX mouthwash was also suggested to be effective as a single topical agent for the prevention of oral candidiasis in HSCT patients. The combination of topical CHX and medium-dose AMB-prophylactic protocol may achieve the same level of candidial prevention with better tolerability than that by AMB alone. More research is warranted.

Time limitations and the challenge of providing infection-preventing dental care to hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation patients.

GOAL: Oral-dental infection foci should be eradicated before the ablative chemo-radiotherapy regimen of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) commences. The rationale of oral-dental treatment is to prevent the future development and spread of infections in patients with compromised immune systems. This study aims to shed light on the challenges facing hospital dentists in the implementation of optimal oral-dental treatment prior to HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data regarding the medical status and dental treatment needs before HSCT were retrieved from the files of 86 consecutive patients post-HSCT. The timing of the oral-dental examination was also recorded. MAIN RESULTS: Dental treatments required before the HSCT were mainly combinations of scaling, plastic fillings, and extractions (47.8%, 39.1%, and 19.5% of the patients respectively). Patients presented at the clinic for oral-dental examination an average of 20.65+/-16.82 days before HSCT with a median of 15 (quarter interval range 10-15) days. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate a dense distribution of dental needs preceding the ablative conditioning regimen for HSCT. These facts accentuate the vital need for cooperation between hospital dentists and treating physicians.