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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
1,325 questions in 34 reviews · Oral medicine and oral cancer
current versionsNo studies 164 · 12.4%Ungraded 841 · 63.5%Very low 209 · 15.8%Low 72 · 5.4%Moderate 38 · 2.9%High 1 · 0.1%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Palifermin vs Placebo Dysphagia · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 3 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.32 [0.55, 3.13] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva Salivary flow rate (stimulated, ml/min) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · End of RT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | MD 0.13 [-0.03, 0.29] | 1 study · 32 participants | Ungraded |
Amifostine vs No treatment/placebo Locoregional tumour control · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 12 to 24 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | HR 0.90 [0.74, 1.11] | 2 studies · 279 participants | Ungraded |
Polaprezinc vs Azulene oral rinse Disability of oral intake · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Over RT period Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.31 [0.07, 1.31] | 1 study · 31 participants | Ungraded |
Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs Placebo Quality of life · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No data on either quality of life or other oral related symptoms were reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs Placebo Oral mucositis (severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.85 [0.65, 1.11] | 6 studies · 852 participants | Low |
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Normalcy of diet (total parenteral nutrition) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.10 [0.63, 1.91] | 1 study · 36 participants | Ungraded |
Antimicrobial lozenge vs Placebo Nausea (adverse effect) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Over 6 months Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.90 [1.10, 3.28] | 1 study · 131 participants | Ungraded |
Antiseptic mouthrinse vs Placebo Survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No survival data were reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.94 [0.79, 1.13] | 1 study · 109 participants | Very low |
Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly Salivary flow rate · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No salivary flow rate data related to the effectiveness of different doses of amifostine were reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), intravenous vs Chlorhexidine mouthwash Oral mucositis (severe) · Children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia receiving chemotherapy alone · Children Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.01 [0.00, 0.19] | 1 study · 90 participants | Ungraded |
Pilocarpine vs No treatment/placebo Adverse effects (other reported events) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No evidence of a difference for any other adverse event (nausea, vomiting, chilling, headache, lacrimation, dysphasia, weakness, nervousness, rhinitis, blurred vision, urinary frequency, dizziness, palpitation, skin… | NR | Ungraded |
Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly Nausea (adverse effect) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.64 [0.33, 1.25] | 1 study · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Number of days of treatment with opioid analgesics · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | MD -1.10 [-1.91, -0.29] | 1 study · 90 participants | Ungraded |
Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 12 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.94 [0.58, 1.53] | 1 study · 49 participants | Ungraded |
Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs Placebo Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No adverse events could be attributed to the experimental medication (Grotz 2001) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, zinc acetate, or polaprezinc) vs Placebo Taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (dichotomous) - chronic renal failure · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal… · Chronic renal failure Interventions for managing taste disturbances (2017) · Cochrane | RR 25 [1.65, 379.57] | 1 study · 24 participants | Ungraded |
Selenium vs No intervention Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 6 weeks after end of RT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | 23 serious adverse events in the selenium group versus 22 in the control group (P = 0.476); no significant differences in toxicities (Buntzel 2010) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Palifermin vs Placebo Mouth and throat soreness (OMWQ-HN, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 3 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | MD -0.12 [-0.27, 0.02] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), lower dose (336 mg) vs Intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), higher dose (2688 mg) Oral mucositis (any severity) · Adults receiving chemotherapy alone for colorectal cancer Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | Insufficient evidence to determine whether lower (336 mg) or higher (2688 mg) dose performs better (Analyses 11.1 to 11.3); no pooled estimate reported | 1 study · 66 participants | Ungraded |
Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs Placebo Xerostomia · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RTOG scores were a composite of radiation side effects on different sites and could not be used for assessing xerostomia (Grotz 2001) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Amifostine vs No treatment/placebo Nausea (adverse effect) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 2.60 [1.81, 3.74] | 4 studies · 556 participants | Low |
Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Low rates of adverse effects (watering eyes, nervousness, frequent urination, sweating, warm face, cramps, diarrhoea, nausea) with insufficient evidence of any differences (Jham 2007) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Antimicrobial lozenge vs Placebo Quality of life and other oral related symptoms · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Over 6 months Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Insufficient evidence of a difference for global quality of life, mouth pain RR 0.94 (95% CI 0.66 to 1.33), sore/burning mouth RR 0.95 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.35), throat pain RR 0.79 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.12) (Duncan 2005) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, zinc acetate, or polaprezinc) vs Placebo Taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous data) · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal… · Mean 3 months, Idiopathic dysgeusia Interventions for managing taste disturbances (2017) · Cochrane | SMD 0.44 [0.23, 0.65] | 3 studies · 366 participants | Very low |
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · Chemotherapy alone for breast cancer Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.33 [0.12, 0.95] | 1 study · 14 participants | Very low |
Erythropoietin mouthwash vs Placebo Oral mucositis (any severity) · Adults receiving bone marrow/stem cell transplantation after conditioning therapy for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.35 [0.21, 0.60] | 1 study · 80 participants | Ungraded |
Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs Placebo Interruptions to cancer treatment (radiotherapy breaks longer than two days) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · Radiotherapy to the head and neck Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 4.38 [0.25, 75.44] | 1 study · 113 participants | Ungraded |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs Placebo Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · Chemotherapy alone for mixed cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.56 [0.45, 0.70] | 4 studies · 344 participants | Moderate |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs Placebo Oral mucositis (any severity) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · RT to head and neck with cisplatin/fluorouracil Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.95 [0.90, 1.00] | 2 studies · 374 participants | Ungraded |
Bethanechol vs Placebo Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Up to and including 3 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.81 [0.65, 1.01] | 1 study · 84 participants | Ungraded |
Amifostine vs No treatment/placebo Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · End of RT to 12 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Insufficient evidence of a difference in stimulated salivary flow at any time point: end of RT MD -0.09 (95% CI -1.48 to 1.30); 3 months MD 0.38 (95% CI -1.43 to 2.19); 12 months MD 0.82 (95% CI -0.47 to 2.11);… | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Antimicrobial lozenge vs Placebo Side effects (other: dryness in mouth, diarrhoea, constipation) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Over 6 months Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Insufficient evidence of a difference: dryness in mouth RR 1.18 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.42), diarrhoea RR 1.97 (95% CI 0.51 to 7.54), constipation RR 0.91 (95% CI 0.59 to 1.42) (Duncan 2005) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Antiseptic mouthrinse vs Placebo Xerostomia · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No data on xerostomia were reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Pilocarpine vs No treatment/placebo Speech difficulties (VAS 0-100 mm) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · End of RT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | MD 20.20 [1.93, 38.47] | 1 study · 34 participants | Ungraded |
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Normalcy of diet (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · RT to head and neck Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.16 [0.01, 2.86] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Amifostine vs No treatment/placebo Salivary flow rate (incidence of > 0.1 g saliva/5 min, unstimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · 12 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.45 [1.13, 1.86] | 1 study · 175 participants | Ungraded |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs Placebo Normalcy of diet (total parenteral nutrition) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.89 [0.58, 1.34] | 4 studies · 714 participants | Ungraded |
Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs Placebo Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · Radiotherapy to the head and neck Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.67 [0.45, 0.99] | 1 study · 103 participants | Ungraded |
Acupuncture vs Sham control (deactivated laser sham acupuncture) Health-related quality of life · Patients with idiopathic dysgeusia and hypogeusia Interventions for managing taste disturbances (2017) · Cochrane | Results (health-related quality of life): Brandt 2008 assessed HRQoL in dysgeusia patients and reported significant improvement in psychological symptoms in the acupuncture group and increased quality of life in both… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly Vomiting (adverse effect) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.25 [0.06, 1.08] | 1 study · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Pilocarpine vs No treatment/placebo Sweating (adverse effect) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | RR 2.98 [1.43, 6.22] | 5 studies · 389 participants | Low |
Pilocarpine vs No treatment/placebo Xerostomia (continuous, combined SMD) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · Up to and including 6 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | SMD -0.35 [-1.04, 0.33] | 2 studies · 126 participants | Very low |
Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly Quality of life · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · End of RT and 6, 12, 18, 24 months postRT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | No significant differences between the three treatment arms (Jellema 2006) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) vs Placebo or no treatment Normalcy of diet (tube feeding) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · RT to head and neck Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | RR 0.31 [0.01, 7.09] | 1 study · 29 participants | Ungraded |
Erythropoietin mouthwash vs Placebo Number of days in hospital · Adults receiving bone marrow/stem cell transplantation after conditioning therapy for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | MD -2.95 [-7.73, 1.83] | 1 study · 80 participants | Ungraded |
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs Placebo Number of days of treatment with opioid analgesics · Adults with cancer receiving treatment · BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: cytokines and… (2017) · Cochrane | MD -1.41 [-3.33, 0.51] | 2 studies · 323 participants | Ungraded |
Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, zinc acetate, or polaprezinc) vs Placebo Adverse events · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal… · 12 to 18 weeks Interventions for managing taste disturbances (2017) · Cochrane | RR 5.20 [0.90, 30.19] | 3 studies · 335 participants | Very low |
Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs Placebo Salivary flow rate · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Sialometric data dropped to an unmeasurable level in both groups; abandoned as a marker of efficacy (Grotz 2001) | 1 study | Ungraded |