Oral manifestations of Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia in adult patients

Background and Objective: Cancer has become one of the most significant public health issues in recent years, of which chemotherapy is one of the most commonly used therapies. It has a high potential for precipitating oral mucosal damageby reducing absolute neutrophil counts and increasing the risk of life-threatening infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the incidence of oral complications and chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in adult patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted at Hiwa Specialized Oncology Hospital in Sulaimani city from December 2022 to May 2023. The study enrolled 100 neutropenic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. All participants were referred for routine complete blood count investigation, including white blood cells and neutrophils, to evaluate the neutropenic state of patients and calculate the absolute neutrophil count. The oral cavity was examined, and oral manifestations including any new lesions, mucosal changes, infections, and symptoms were recorded. Results: Studied sample included (53%) males and (47%) females. The majority of patients were aged between 31 and 69 years. Acute leukemia was the most frequent type of cancer (36%). Oral ulcers, were the most frequent oral manifestation, detected in 52 patients and (21.31%) of all oral manifestations. There was a significant association between the absolute neutrophil count, and most of the oral manifestations among the participants (p-value< 0.022). Conclusions: Oral manifestation observed in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients is directly associated with the level of neutrophil counts, especially oral ulcer, candidiasis, exfoliative cheilitis, and taste disturbance.