What do systematic reviews say?

Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), oral spray vs placebo

Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), oral spray led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 0.22 [0.10, 0.48]
  1 study · 99 participants
  GRADE not reported

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs placebo

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Chemoradiotherapy to the head and neck
  RR 1.06 [0.78, 1.43]
  1 study · 136 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Radiotherapy to the head and neck
  RR 0.67 [0.45, 0.99]
  1 study · 103 participants
  GRADE not reported

Erythropoietin mouthwash vs placebo

Erythropoietin mouthwash led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 0.43 [0.24, 0.79]
  1 study · 80 participants
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs placebo

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… may leads to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers
  RR 0.89 [0.80, 0.99]
  6 studies · 852 participants
  Low
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  RT to head and neck with cisplatin/fluorouracil
  RR 0.91 [0.83, 1.00]
  3 studies · 471 participants
  Moderate
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Chemotherapy alone for mixed cancers
  RR 0.56 [0.45, 0.70]
  4 studies · 344 participants
  Moderate

GM-CSF vs placebo or no treatment

It is very uncertain whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) changes oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo or no treatment (very low certainty).

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  RT to head and neck
  RR 0.72 [0.49, 1.06]
  1 study · 29 participants
  Very low
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers
  RR 0.94 [0.79, 1.13]
  1 study · 109 participants
  Very low

G‐CSF vs placebo or no treatment

It is very uncertain whether granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) changes oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo or no treatment (very low certainty).

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and growth factors 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Chemotherapy alone for breast cancer
  RR 0.33 [0.12, 0.95]
  1 study · 14 participants
  Very low

Indigo wood root vs saline placebo

Indigo wood root showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with saline (placebo); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.75 [0.5, 1.1]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte GF vs placebo

Keratinocyte GF led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.74 [0.62, 0.89]
  7 studies
  GRADE not reported

Aloe vera vs placebo

Aloe vera led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.74 [0.58, 0.96]
  2 studies · 119 participants
  GRADE not reported

Allopurinol mouthrinse vs placebo/no treatment

Allopurinol mouthrinse led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.66 [0.5, 0.86]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Prostaglandin vs placebo

Prostaglandin showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.95 [0.81, 1.11]
  1 study · 83 participants
  GRADE not reported

Zinc sulphate vs placebo

Zinc sulphate led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.36 [0.18, 0.71]
  1 study · 27 participants
  GRADE not reported

G‐CSF vs placebo/no treatment

G-CSF showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.81 [0.51, 1.3]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs placebo/no treatment

Amifostine led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.75 [0.58, 0.96]
  6 studies
  GRADE not reported

Low‐level laser therapy vs Placebo or no active treatment

Laser (low level) showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/sham/no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.64 [0.38, 1.08]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intestinal trefoil factor vs placebo

Intestinal trefoil factor led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.22 [0.1, 0.48]
  1 study · 99 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sucralfate vs placebo or usual care

Sucralfate showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/usual care; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.75 [0.54, 1.04]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Iseganan vs placebo

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Epidermal growth factor vs placebo

Epidermal growth factor led to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.67 [0.45, 0.99]
  1 study · 103 participants
  GRADE not reported

Glutamine vs placebo or usual care

Glutamine showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo/usual care; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.88 [0.69, 1.12]
  5 studies
  GRADE not reported