[Oral mucositis as the most common complication of childhood cancer therapy. Review of the literature].

Mucositis is the most common oral complication of cancer therapy. Oral mucositis in childhood is more frequent and severe compared to adults, especially in children with leukemia. Lesions develop as the chemotherapeutic agents attack the rapidly dividing cells of the oral mucous membrane. Patients may experience trouble in eating, drinking, swallowing or even speaking due to the significant pain caused by the ulceration of the oral mucosa. Oral mucositis has a direct impact on the quality of life and may affect survival. The regular assessment of the oral mucosa is crucial during chemotherapy to evaluate the effectiveness of the oral mucositis prevention and treatment. Several oral mucositis scoring tools have been developed for adults to qualify the symptoms, but there is no universally accepted assessment scale for children. The prevention and treatment of therapy-related mucositis is difficult, though several methods and pharmacologic agents have been tested. Here we discuss the pathogenesis of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, the available assessment tools and their applicability to pediatric patients and the available therapeutic and preventive strategies. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(13): 495-502.