Radiation-induced Mucositis in Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancer Treated with Moderate Acceleration of Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy and Simultaneous Integrated Boost Concomitant with Weekly Cisplatin

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced mucositis is one of the limiting factors during radiotherapy, disturbing the quality of life and in some cases leading to discontinuation of therapy. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) represents advanced form of radiotherapy technique in treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma enabling precision cancer targeting with reducing dose to healthy normal tissues.

AIM: The aim of this study was to present maximum grade and duration of a maximum grade of radiation-induced acute mucositis, influence of total volume of oral mucosa, and volumes of oral mucosa which are encompassed by radiation volume of 54 Gy and 66 Gy on the expression of grade of acute mucositis and influence of primary origin of tumor on encompassing with radiation volumes in patients treated with moderate acceleration of IMRT-SIB concomitant weekly cycle of chemotherapy with cisplatin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Planned research included 30 patients with oropharyngeal cancer who received their treatment at the University Clinic of Radiotherapy and Oncology in Skopje with moderate acceleration of IMRT-SIB and weekly concomitant cisplatin. Assessment of radiation-induced acute mucositis was performed according to the acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

RESULTS: Maximum grade of acute reaction was confluent mucositis with strong pain and was manifested in 27 patients (90%) with maximum time of duration of 28 days (range 7–28) and median duration of 18 days (range 7–28). Patients, in whom the primary origin of tumor was base of the tongue, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.04) was found for volume of oral mucosa encompassed with PTV66, compared to other localizations of primary oropharyngeal origin. Statistically non-significant difference was found between volume of total oral mucosa and volumes of oral mucosa which are encompassed with radiation volume of 54 Gy and 66 Gy and expression of grade of acute mucositis in the 5th and 6th weeks of radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION: According to these results, recommendations are delineation of oral mucosa as critical structure and implementation of IMRT-SIB to achieve reduction of grade of acute mucositis.