Using Gum Arabic for Cancer Patients to Protect From Oral Mucositis Caused by Chemotherapy: ِِِAn Experimental Study

University of Science and Technology, Yemen386 enrolled

Overview

This study was designed to investigate the effect of Gum Arabic (GA) on cancer patients to prevent chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. Cancer patients who will receive chemotherapy were divided into two groups; study "Gum Arabic" group (which received GA with chemotherapy) and control group (chemotherapy alone); and the participants were recruited to reach 190 patients in the study group and 184 patients in control group. This clinical trial was conducted in outpatient chemotherapy sections at Radiation and Isotopes Center of Khartoum. This study was designed to test the theory that say the chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis will significantly decrease after ingestion 30 grams as daily dose of Gum Arabic in a form of solution for six weeks during therapy.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

386

Conditions

Chemotherapy-induced Oral Mucositis

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 14 YearsMax age: 83 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients whom well diagnosed with cancer in any stage were eligible for enrolment if chemotherapy is part of their treatment plan. Exclusion Criteria: Patients were excluded if * they had received recent previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, * they had oral mucositis or periodontitis, * there is evidence of any systemic diseases.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The effect of Gum Arabic to prevent Chemotherapy-induced Oral Mucositis was the primary outcome that assessed using World Health Organization Mucositis Scoring.

The primary outcome measure of oral mucositis in cancer patients who received chemotherapy was depend on presence or absence oral mucositis after commencement the treatment because they were new diagnosed cases and free from oral mucositis. World Health Organization Mucositis Scale, was the scoring system used to assess oral mucositis based on a combination of subjective (soreness as described by the patient), objective (presence of erythema and ulcerations) and functional (ability to eat solids, liquids or nothing by mouth) outcomes. During six weeks of follow up there were specific questions that asked by researcher and had been answered by patient regarding oral mucositis. Those questions summarized as follow: 1. Does the oral mucositis was occurred during this week? 2. If Yes. Is there was soreness, erythema or ulcers in mouth of participant? 3. The day that oral mucositis was started and eliminated? 4. If the patient belong to study group; Is Gum Arabic still used regularly?

Time frame: Six weeks for each participant from starting therapy.