BI30 Prevention and treatment of systemic anticancer therapy-induced stomatitis in adult oncology patients

Abstract Mucositis, a common side-effect of anticancer therapies, manifests as painful ulcerative lesions in the mouth. These lesions can impair oral intake, cause discomfort and increase infection risk. Mucositis affects 40% of patients receiving chemotherapy and up to 90% of those receiving head and neck cancer treatment. Risk factors include female sex and older age. This study aimed to improve documentation of mucosal changes in oncology patients to facilitate timely recognition and management, given their prevalence and complications. Over 10 days, data were collected for oncology patients admitted to the hospital who had received anticancer therapies within the previous month. Information on cancer types, documented mucosal changes and management strategies was recorded. Interventions included targeted teaching on mucositis recognition and poster reminders in staff areas. Documentation rates were reassessed after the intervention. Initially, documentation of mucosal changes was 22%. The median patient age was 61 years, with breast and gastrointestinal cancers being the most common diagnoses. Most patients were admitted 1 month after chemotherapy. Following interventions, documentation rates improved to 45%, while appropriate management for documented changes consistently remained at 100%. Mucositis and other skin changes are prevalent yet underdocumented complications of anticancer therapies. This study highlights the impact of simple interventions such as teaching and visual prompts in improving documentation. Improved recognition can mitigate complications like pain, infection and impaired oral intake in oncology patients.