Sore mouth due to cancer therapy (oral mucositis) substantially reduced by daily 1,000 IU of vitamin D – June 2017

Expression of vitamin D receptor and vitamin D status in patients with oral neoplasms and effect of vitamin D supplementation on quality of life in advanced cancer treatment

Contemp Oncol (Pozn). 2017; 21(2): 145–151, online 2017 Jun 30. doi: 10.5114/wo.2017.68623
PMCID: PMC5611504
Akshay Anand,1 Suyash Singh,1 Abhinav A. Sonkar,corresponding author1 Nuzhat Husain,2 Kul Ranjan Singh,1 Sudhir Singh,1 and Jitendra K. Kushwaha1

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See also web

  • Medscape
    “Oral mucositis is a common complication of cancer chemotherapy. It begins 5-10 days after the initiation of chemotherapy and lasts 7-14 days. Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis causes the mucosal lining of the mouth to atrophy and break down, forming ulcers”
  • Mucositis Wikipedia
    “Oral and gastrointestinal (GI) mucositis affects almost all patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 80% of patients with malignancies of the head and neck receiving radiotherapy, and a wide range of patients receiving chemotherapy.”
    “For most cancer treatment, about 5–15% of patients get mucositis”
    “Seventy-five to eighty percent of bone marrow transplantation recipients experience mucositis,”
    “In grade 3 oral mucositis, the patient is unable to eat solid food, and in grade 4, the patient is unable to consume liquids as well”
    Radiotherapy to the head and neck Grade 3 oral mucositis - often exceeding 50% of patients


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Note SPSS = swallowing performance status scale
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Aim of the study
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression and serum vitamin D scores in oral premalignant lesions and oral cancer have not been widely analyzed. The role of vitamin D supplementation in advanced oral cancer for improving quality of life (QOL) is also a matter of research.

Material and methods
Vitamin D receptor expression and vitamin D scores were analyzed in normal oral mucosa (n = 95), leukoplakia (n = 23) and oral cancer (n = 87). 45 patients with advanced oral cancer subjected to chemoradiation were evaluated for the effect of vitamin D supplementation on most observable QOL parameters such as oral mucositis, swallowing performance and overall QOL.

Results
Vitamin D receptor expression was increased in oral neoplastic lesions. Vitamin D scores were significantly lower in cases compared to healthy controls (p = 0.002). Vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the therapy-related toxicities in advanced cancer, thus reducing morbidity and improving QOL.

Conclusions
Vitamin D receptor expression is increased in premalignant lesions and oral cancer. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent in patients with oral neoplastic lesions. Vitamin D supplementation has a role in reducing treatment-related toxicities, especially in advanced cancer.

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