Objective: To assess the prevention of oral mucositis using chamomile oral cryotherapy versus oral cryotherapy in pediatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Methods: The study included participants aged 6 to 18 years diagnosed with osteosarcoma undergoing chemotherapy (Methotrexate), with intact oral mucosa, and no history of administration of any antiviral or antifungal therapy for oral mucositis. The study population consisted of 20 patients and was divided equally into two groups; (Group A) using the chamomile oral cryotherapy and (Group B) using oral cryotherapy. Oral mucosa was evaluated at baseline, 8th, 15th and 21st day using the Children International Mucositis Evaluation Scale (ChIMES) and the World Health Organization Oral Mucositis Toxicity Scale (WHO mucositis scale).
Results: For the patient reported oral mucositis, the total ChIMES score was higher in patients in group B on all evaluation times with a median and range values of [0(0-1) for baseline, 6(2-12) for day 8, 7.5(4-12) for day 15 and 2(1-6) for day 21]. According to WHO mucositis scale, patients in chamomile oral cryotherapy group never developed grade 2 or higher mucositis with a statistically significant difference found between both groups at day 15 (80% grade 2 in control group versus 0% in chamomile group).
Conclusions: Chamomile oral cryotherapy showed better results in reducing the incidence and severity of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in comparison to oral cryotherapy.