PURPOSE: Oral problems in a group of oncological patients undergoing chemotherapy (CT) for solid tumors have been examined. Incidence and severity of patients’ self-reported oral problems have been evaluated along their interaction with age, gender, tumor diagnosis and stage, presence of mestastasis, CT agent type, and number of CT cycle. We also analyzed the presence of paraesthesia and anaesthesia and their predisposing factors associated with clinical and treatment-related variables. METHODS: Patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire to evaluate the onset and the intensity of oral and perioral pain, oral mucositis, salivary gland hypofunction, dysgeusia, dysphagia, dysphonia, and sensitivity neuropathy (paraesthesia or dysaesthesia) since the last CT infusion. We also investigated which types of medications have possibly been used and who recommended it, as well as patients’ degree of awareness about the possibility of oral problems arising during CT. RESULTS: We recruited 194 patients and obtained 491 questionnaires. We found that a metastatic disease was a risk factor for OM (OR 2.02,p= 0.026) and salivary gland hypofunction (OR 1.66,p= 0.042) and that platinum agents, compared to mitotic inhibitors, increased the risk of developing salivary gland hypofunction (OR 2.16,p= 0.013), dysphagia (OR 3.26,p= 0.001), and anaesthesia (OR 5.16,p= 0.041). Young age was a slight protective factor for most symptoms. The 80% of enrolled patients were informed by the oncologist about possible oral problems arising during CT. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlighted the importance of collecting observational data from the patients’ perspective on oral problems arising during the routine oncology practice, across a range of solid tumors and CT regimens. The relevance of these findings focused on the key role of the multidisciplinary team in advising the patients on the possible occurrence of oral problems, also by recommending their management.
目的：本研究旨在探讨一组接受实体瘤化疗（CT）的肿瘤患者的口腔问题。我们评估了患者自述口腔问题的发生率及严重程度，并分析其与年龄、性别、肿瘤诊断与分期、转移灶存在情况、化疗药物类型及化疗周期数之间的关联。同时，我们还分析了感觉异常与感觉缺失的存在情况及其与临床和治疗相关变量的诱发因素。方法：要求患者填写问卷，评估自上次化疗输注以来口腔及口周疼痛、口腔黏膜炎、唾液腺功能减退、味觉障碍、吞咽困难、发声困难及感觉神经病变（感觉异常或感觉迟钝）的发生情况与强度。我们还调查了可能使用的药物类型及其推荐者，以及患者对化疗期间可能出现口腔问题的认知程度。结果：共纳入194例患者，回收491份问卷。研究发现，转移性疾病是口腔黏膜炎（OR 2.02，p=0.026）和唾液腺功能减退（OR 1.66，p=0.042）的危险因素；与有丝分裂抑制剂相比，铂类药物会增加唾液腺功能减退（OR 2.16，p=0.013）、吞咽困难（OR 3.26，p=0.001）及感觉缺失（OR 5.16，p=0.041）的风险。年轻年龄对多数症状具有轻微保护作用。80%的入组患者通过肿瘤科医生了解到化疗期间可能出现的口腔问题。结论：本研究强调了在常规肿瘤临床实践中，从患者视角收集不同实体瘤类型及化疗方案下口腔问题观察数据的重要性。这些发现凸显了多学科团队在告知患者口腔问题可能发生并提供处理建议方面的关键作用。
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