# Mucositis and stomatitis

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/mucositis/  
OnCo record `mucositis` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Painful inflammation and ulcers of the mouth and gut lining, because chemotherapy and radiotherapy hit the fast-dividing cells that renew it. It affects most patients on head and neck chemoradiation or transplant conditioning, can make eating impossible, and is the usual reason those patients need feeding tubes and opioid pain relief.

## Summary

Severe oral mucositis affects most patients receiving head and neck chemoradiation and high-dose conditioning for transplant, and a minority on 5-FU, methotrexate and taxanes; everolimus and other mTOR inhibitors cause a distinct stomatitis prevented by dexamethasone mouthwash (SWISH). Oesophagitis follows thoracic radiotherapy. Management is analgesia (often opioids), oral care, palifermin in transplant, photobiomodulation, and nutritional support; mucositis prolongs hospital stays, causes dose reductions and increases infection through the damaged barrier. It is the classic example of on-target toxicity to normal proliferating tissue.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: oral mucositis; stomatitis; mouth sores; mouth ulcers; oesophagitis; esophagitis; radiation oesophagitis; mucosal toxicity; mucosal damage; gastrointestinal toxicity; GI toxicity; dexamethasone mouthwash

## Notes

- Pancreatic Cancer UK says a soft toothbrush, rinsing with cool water after eating and an alcohol-free mouthwash help with a sore mouth on chemotherapy, and to ask the team to check for oral thrush, which is common and easy to treat; Macmillan says ring if soreness stops you eating or drinking or there are ulcers or white patches.
- Fluorouracil, capecitabine and irinotecan can all cause a sore mouth and ulcers. Macmillan says to use a soft toothbrush morning, night and after meals, to avoid food and drink that irritate the mouth, and to ring the 24-hour number if soreness affects how much you can eat or drink or if there are blisters, ulcers or white patches.

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucositis
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucositis
- Pancreatic Cancer UK: side effects of chemotherapy: https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/information-and-support/treatments-for-pancreatic-cancer/chemotherapy/side-effects-of-chemotherapy/
- Macmillan: FOLFIRINOX: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/folfirinox
- Macmillan: FOLFOX: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/folfox
- Macmillan: capecitabine: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/capecitabine

## Connected records

- terms: [Chemoradiation (chemoradiotherapy, CRT)](https://onco.cc/terms/chemoradiation/), [Conditioning regimen (myeloablative, reduced-intensity)](https://onco.cc/terms/conditioning-regimen/), [Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)](https://onco.cc/terms/dysphagia/), [Feeding tube (gastrostomy, PEG, jejunostomy)](https://onco.cc/terms/feeding-tube/), [Living with FOLFIRINOX, NALIRIFOX and gemcitabine with nab-paclitaxel](https://onco.cc/terms/chemotherapy-side-effects-pancreatic/), [Living with FOLFOX, CAPOX, FOLFIRI and the EGFR antibodies](https://onco.cc/terms/chemotherapy-side-effects-colorectal/)
- cancers: [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/)
- fronts: [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)
- technologies: [DPYD genotyping and DPD phenotyping before fluoropyrimidines](https://onco.cc/technologies/dpyd-genotyping/), [Dry mouth, teeth and taste after head and neck radiotherapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/dry-mouth-teeth-after-head-neck-radiotherapy/), [Glutamine for mucositis and neuropathy](https://onco.cc/technologies/glutamine-mucositis-neuropathy/), [Honey for radiation mucositis](https://onco.cc/technologies/honey-radiation-mucositis/), [Oral cryotherapy (ice chips) to prevent mucositis](https://onco.cc/technologies/oral-cryotherapy-mucositis/), [Photobiomodulation (low-level laser) for oral mucositis](https://onco.cc/technologies/photobiomodulation-mucositis/)
- companies: [Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum)](https://onco.cc/companies/sobi/)

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