Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30136590›Full record

ArticleIntegrative cancer therapies2018

Adjunctive Treatments for the Prevention of Chemotherapy- and Radiotherapy-Induced Mucositis.

Michael Thomsen, Luis Vitetta

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Integrative cancer therapies, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 81 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
81citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
8.8field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

81 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 158 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Anti-inflammatory mouthwashes for the prevention of oral mucositis in cancer therapy: an integrative review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. The effects of zinc on radiation-induced dysgeusia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2020
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Guideline
  10. Trial
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Frontiers in nutrition · 2026
    Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Extracellular vesicles of Gram-negative and Gram-positive probiotics.Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea) · 2025
    Review
  18. Gut-derivediMeta · 2025
    Article
  19. A dynamic online nomogram for predicting nutritional risk in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  20. Article

21 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Michael Thomsen1 University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1446-8221
Luis Vitetta1 University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7490-9298
The University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChemoradiotherapy-associated mucositis can manifest as pain, inflammation, dysphagia, diarrhea, weight loss, rectal bleeding, and infection. Mucositis is a major dose-limiting side effect of chemotherapy, affecting nutritional intake and oral and intestinal function. Despite several interventions being available, there is a need for safe and effective preventative and treatment options for treatment-induced mucositis. The goals of this review are to discuss interventions based on foods and natural products and present the research to date.

methodsA narrative literature review identified 60 clinical studies examining various nutritional compounds and 20 examining probiotics. 9 studies on probiotics for the prevention of diarrhea were also assessed on methodological quality and limitations identified.

resultsSeveral compounds have been posited as useful adjuvants for cancer treatment-related mucositis. Probiotics demonstrate efficacy for the prevention and treatment of chemoradiotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity without significant side effects. Glutamine and activated charcoal were reported to reduce chemotherapy-induced diarrhea but not radiation-induced intestinal mucositis. Honey has been reported to decrease treatment interruptions, weight loss, and delays the onset of oral mucositis. Zinc, glutamine, and topical vitamin E were demonstrated efficacy for oral mucositis.

conclusionThere is plausible clinical evidence for the administration of several adjunctive treatments for the prevention and treatment of mucositis. Probiotics were reported to reduce the burden of intestinal mucositis and treatment-induced diarrhea. Activated charcoal and glutamine are beneficial for chemotherapy-induced diarrhea, whereas the administration of honey, zinc, and glutamine reduce the risk of developing oral mucositis during chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Indexed as

Chemotherapy, AdjuvantDiarrheaDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsHumansMucositisNeoplasmsProbioticsRadiation InjuriesRadiotherapyadjunctive compoundschemotherapydiarrheamucositisprobioticsradiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID30136590
PMCPMC6247548
OpenAlexW2888000085

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.