Yes. Sores in the mouth and throat are a possible side effect of certain types of chemotherapy drugs. These sores, called mucositis, may occur because certain types of chemotherapy drugs affect rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells and cells in the mouth and throat.
Sores in the mouth and throat may appear 3 to 10 days after certain types of chemotherapy treatment.[1] Symptoms of sores in the mouth and throat may include:
Redness (due to inflammation) in the mouth and throat
Sores (called ulcers) in the mouth and throat
Burning sensation in the mouth and throat
Other types of discomfort or pain in the mouth and throat
Difficulty in chewing food
Difficulty swallowing
Loss of appetite, due to difficulty eating, which can result in weight loss
Difficulty in speaking
As the lining of the mouth and throat experiences damage, bacterial, fungal, or viral infections in the mouth and throat may occur.
Some pre-existing medical conditions and lifestyle practices that can make chemotherapy-caused mucositis more severe include:[1]
Prior poor oral and dental conditions
Other pre-existing diseases, such as kidney disease, diabetes, or AIDS
Older age of patient
Young childhood age of patient
Older (i.e., geriatric) age of adult patient
Smoking
Drinking alcoholic beverages
Eating harsh (such as dry, scratchy, acidic, spicy, and salty) foods that can irritate the lining of the mouth and throat
There are several things you can do to help alleviate the discomfort of mouth sores, including:
Keeping your body hydrated. Drink a lot of fluids.
Try sucking on ice chips to keep your mouth moist, decrease the risk of mouth sores, and reduce existing pain in the mouth, especially during the chemotherapy treatment. Using ice chips, which sometimes is called cryotherapy, can reduce the flow of blood to cells in the mouth, decrease exposure of the mouth to the chemotherapy drug, and lower the risk of development of mouth sores.
Chewing sugarless gum or sucking on hard candy
Eating moist foods instead of dry, scratchy foods. Moistening dry foods before chewing them may be helpful.
Avoiding very acidic foods, such as tomatoes, oranges, and grapefruits, which can exacerbate the sores. Try eating less acidic fruits (examples: apricots and pears) and less acidic vegetables (examples: beans, peas, and squash).
Avoiding very salty and spicy foods
Rinsing your mouth every 3 to 4 hours with a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon baking soda or salt and 8 ounces of water.
Rinsing your mouth with alcohol-free mouthwash (such as Biotene or a chamomile mouthwash) every 2 hours. Chamomile mouthwash has a soothing effect on the mouths mucous membranes.
Keeping your lips moist with a nurturing balm.
Using good oral hygiene to help prevent mouth sores. Use a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth 2 or 3 times daily. If using any toothbrush is too painful, use cotton swabs to brush your teeth.
Consult your oncologist and oncology nurse for other suggestions for managing mucositis. If the self-care approaches do not resolve the symptoms of mucositis adequately, your oncologist may reduce the dose of your chemotherapy or interrupt the treatment temporarily to allow the lining of your mouth and throat to heal.[1]
REFERENCE
1. Managing mouth sores. Accessed at www.chemotherapy.com.
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