Oral Mucositis

What is Oral Mucositis?

Oral mucositis is a painful inflammation of the lining of the mouth and throat (oral mucosa) and is one of the most common complications of radiation & chemotherapy cancer treatments. It is extremely painful and debilitating for patients and has a serious impact on their Quality of Life.^2,3

Oral mucositis can manifest as oral mucosal atrophy, erythema, erosion, and ulceration or as a combination of these manifestations.³

Severe cases of OM may interrupt a patient’s cancer treatment schedule if not properly addressed.

Who gets Oral mucositis?

Patients undergoing the following cancer treatments are at high risk of developing Oral Mucositis: ¹¹

Head and neck radiotherapy
Stem cell transplantation
And/or chemotherapy

OM in Head & Neck Cancer Patients

Studies have shown that severe mucositis occurred in 29–66% of patients  receiving radiation therapy for head  and neck cancer.¹¹

The incidence of OM was especially high in patients with primary tumours in the oral cavity, oropharynx or nasopharynx; those who also received concomitant chemotherapy; those who received a total dose over 5000 cGy, and those treated with altered fractionation radiation schedules. ¹¹

Complications of Oral Mucositis^8,9

Severe pain and inflammation

Increased risk of infections

Malnutrition as a result of restricted oral intake

Dehydration

Difficulty talking

Increased use of prescription opioids

Interruption of therapy

Increased length of hospitalisation and overall cost of treatment

Trusted by patients & healthcare professionals…

I started using GelX after 1 cycle of chemotherapy. I had already started with a number of large mouth ulcers and was finding eating and swallowing painful. After just 2 days of using GelX, no further ulcers appeared. Throughout my chemo treatments I only had a handful of small ulcers. I can wholeheartedly say that GelX has made a significant difference to my oral comfort and enabled me to eat more normally than I could have done…A truly wonderful product!

Jayne, Patient, Wrexham

I was kindly sent GelX at the beginning of my throat cancer journey. During treatment this was a fantastic product that enabled me to have a life. Eating, drinking, smiling - GelX played a big part. I would 100% fully recommend this product to anybody without hesitation.

Jon, Patient, Surrey

I support patients with Head and Neck cancers and have found, since the introduction of GelX during radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy), mucositis is reduced. This has meant for some patients, stronger analgesics have not been necessary or at least not required so early on during their course of radiotherapy. We find using GelX prophylactically in Head and Neck cancer patients, receiving radiotherapy, helps reduce the severity of mucositis.

Head & Neck Specialist Radiographer, Kent

We have been using GelX for about a year now. Mucositis has been improved in patients who use it consistently from the beginning of treatment.

Dr. Jennifer Turner, Consultant Clinical Oncologist

All Testimonials