Loading
Swallowing honey before and after head and neck radiotherapy sessions reduced mouth ulcers in several small trials, mostly from single centres, but the studies are of low quality and mucositis guidelines could not make a recommendation either way.
Honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and coats the mucosa. Small randomised trials, largely from single centres in Asia and the Middle East, report lower rates of severe oral mucositis when patients swallow or apply honey around radiotherapy fractions. The 2020 MASCC/ISOO guidelines reviewed these and concluded that no guideline was possible because of inconsistent results and study quality; a reduction in weight loss was noted in some trials. Honey is inexpensive and safe in adults (it should be avoided in infants and used with care in diabetes and in patients with severe dental disease because of its sugar content). Standard mucositis prevention rests on oral care protocols, photobiomodulation and, for specific regimens, oral cryotherapy or palifermin.
Viscous coating, osmotic antibacterial effect and anti-inflammatory phenolics may reduce mucosal injury and secondary infection.
Query for this technology: (TITLE:"Honey for radiation mucositis" OR ABSTRACT:"Honey for radiation mucositis") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Honey for radiation mucositis, not a curated reading list.
Shares MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy, Mucositis and stomatitis, Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, Evidence-based integrative oncology and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.