Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

Refine by population, intervention, comparison or outcome
More filters
Evidence found and GRADE certainty

1,218 questions · 1,325 findings · 34 reviews · Oral medicine and oral cancer

No studies found 164 · 12.4%GRADE not reported 841 · 63.5%Very low 209 · 15.8%Low 72 · 5.4%Moderate 38 · 2.9%High 1 · 0.1%

Systemic beta carotene or carotenoids (incl. lycopene) vs placebo or no treatment

Clinical resolution (oral lesion not completely resolved) · People with a diagnosis of oral leukoplakia
1 finding from 1 review
  • Interventions for treating oral leukoplakia to prevent oral cancer 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes
    5 to 12 months
    SoF 2, Clinical resolution (not completely resolved) at 5 to 12 months: 'The 3 studies could not be combined in meta-analysis. 2 found benefit for systemic beta carotene, and 1 did not.' No GRADE rating. Effects text…
    3 studies
    GRADE not reported

Dietary supplements (alpha lipoic acid +/- adjunctive ingredients) vs placebo

Adverse events: worsening of hypertension · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms

It is very uncertain whether dietary supplements (alpha lipoic acid +/- adjunctive ingredients) changes adverse effects: increase in blood pressure compared with placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell… showed no clear difference in adverse effects compared with standard therapy alone; GRADE not reported.

9 findings from 1 review
Show 6 more findings

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus… led to higher adverse effects compared with standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy); GRADE not reported.

9 findings from 1 review
Show 6 more findings

Pilocarpine vs placebo

Xerostomia (dry mouth relief) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction
1 finding from 1 review

EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Adverse effects · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx
10 findings from 1 review
Show 7 more findings

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

Oral mucositis (severe) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed… probably leads to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) (moderate certainty).

3 findings from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs High-dose leucovorin rinse

Oral mucositis (severe) · Patients with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) receiving high-dose methotrexate, vincristine and leucovorin
1 finding from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

Number of days of treatment with opioid analgesics · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

2 findings from 1 review

Non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell wall preparation) plus standard therapy vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Disease-free survival · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

It is very uncertain whether non-specific immunotherapy (recombinant interleukin-2 or BCG cell… changes disease-free survival compared with standard therapy alone (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Progression‐free survival · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard… showed no clear difference in progression-free survival compared with standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy); GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

Quality of life · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment
2 findings from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

Adverse events · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment
2 findings from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs Low-dose leucovorin rinse

Oral mucositis (severe) · Patients with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) receiving high-dose methotrexate, vincristine and leucovorin
1 finding from 1 review

Cryotherapy (ice chips) 30 minutes vs Cryotherapy (ice chips) 60 minutes

Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with solid cancers receiving fluorouracil (5FU) and leucovorin

It is very uncertain whether oral cryotherapy for 30 minutes changes oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with oral cryotherapy for 60 minutes (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Progression‐free survival · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

It is very uncertain whether tyrosine kinase inhibitor (erlotinib, gefitinib or lapatinib) plus… changes progression-free survival compared with standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy)

Participant satisfaction · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pilocarpine vs placebo

Other oral symptoms (oral discomfort, dysphonia) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction
1 finding from 1 review

Oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice held in the mouth during cancer treatment) vs no intervention or control intervention (control)

Oral mucositis (mean severity on WHO 0 to 4 scale) · All patients with cancer who are receiving treatment

It is very uncertain whether oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed… changes oral mucositis (mean severity on WHO 0 to 4 scale) compared with control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review