The impact of nutritional supplements on the severity of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis

OBJECTIVES: To invistigate the potential efficacy of vitamin E and vitamin A on preventing chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis through oral consumption.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a randomized, double-blind cross-over clinical trial study. 20 eligible patients underwent two cross-over phases based on specific criteria. In the first phase, they received oral vitamin E and A alongside chemotherapy, followed by a phase where they received a placebo. The severity of mucositis and patients’ pain response were assessed at the beginning of each phase and on days 7, 14 and 21after treatment initiation. The
data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18, with a significance level of 0.05.

RESULTS: Twenty patients, 14 (70%) females, with a mean age of 52.2±14.37 completed the study. There was no statistically significant relationship between the severity of mucositis and the type of treatment period in the baseline of the study (P = 0.89).Also, there was no significant differences in mucositis severity between the groups at the study’s beginning and throughout the chemotherapy period (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant variations were observed in mucositis severity and patients’ pain response across different study days during the study phases (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The oral consumption of vitamin E and A showed no significant effect in reducing the severity of chemotherapy- induced oral mucositis or alleviating patients’ pain response.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The study suggests that oral consumption of vitamins E and A may not significantly reduce the severity of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis or alleviate patients’ pain response. This implies that clinicians should not rely solely on oral vitamin E and A supplementation as a preventive measure for oral mucositis in chemotherapy patients. Given the lack of significant effect from oral vitamin E and A supplementation, healthcare providers should consider exploring other preventive strategies or treatments for chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.

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