TOPLINE:

Bacterial decolonization with mupirocin nasal ointment significantly lowered rates of severe acute radiation oral mucositis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radiotherapy. The intervention also reduced oral pain and dysphagia, and improved quality of life (QOL) without increasing radiation dermatitis.

METHODOLOGY:

Acute radiation oral mucositis is a common, debilitating complication of radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Research showed that oral Staphylococcus aureus , a potential factor in oral mucositis, can increase after radiotherapy. Mupirocin, an inexpensive topical antibiotic, can help eliminate S aureus from nasal and oral sites but has not been tested in this setting.

Researchers conducted a phase 3 trial of 176 patients wit

See Full Page