Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thalidomide on preventing and treating radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).
Methods A total of 60 patients with NPC were randomly divided into treatment group and control group.The treatment group took thalidomide and gargled with mixture of saline+gentamycin + dexamethasone when radiotherapy started, and the control group gargled only with mixture of saline+gentamycin+dexamethasone.The time of occurrence and degree of RIOM in both groups were registered at the same time.
Results The incidence of RIOM in treatment group was lower than that in control group(P < 0.05).For the incidence of 3 or 4 grade RIOM, the treatment group was also lower than the control group.No statistical difference in terms of objective response rate was found between the two groups(P> 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment group and the control group in the oral average dose, V30, V35, V40, V45, V50, and V54(P> 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment group and the control group in the use of nutrition agents, hormones and antibiotics(P> 0.05).There was no statistical difference between the groups in the drowsiness, peripheral nerve toxicity, hematologic toxicity and gastrointestinal reaction(P> 0.05).
Conclusion Thalidomide can reduce the incidence and severity of RIOM for radiotherapy of patients with NPC, which deserves clinic application.