What do systematic reviews say?

Carbopol (polyacrylic acid/acetate) spray vs Placebo spray

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patient preference for active sprays vs placebo nearly attained significance (Chi2 7.259, df=3; P = 0.064); 15/43 participants expressed no desire to continue any spray after the trial.
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

Physostigmine gel (1.8 mg) vs Placebo gel

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Approximately fivefold increase in saliva secretion; mean AUC salivary volume 43.4 +/- 9.4 (physostigmine) vs 8.3 +/- 6.6 (placebo), P < 0.001. Adverse effects: 8 mild gastrointestinal upsets, 1 sweating.
  1 study · 17 participants
  GRADE not reported

Prednisone vs placebo

Prednisone 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 0.71 [0.47, 1.07]
  1 study · 66 participants
  GRADE not reported

Low‐level laser therapy vs Placebo or no active treatment

Laser (low level) led to lower oral mucositis (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 0.2 [0.06, 0.62]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Camomile vs placebo

Camomile showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (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 1.14 [0.43, 3.01]
  1 study · 164 participants
  GRADE not reported

Glutamine vs placebo or usual care

Glutamine showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (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 0.69 [0.37, 1.29]
  5 studies
  GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine lozenge (3 mg or 5 mg) vs placebo control

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Single dose (up to 3 hours)
  Statistically significant increase in saliva production vs placebo (P <= 0.05); maximum salivary output 60 to 90 minutes post-lozenge; no data presented.
  1 study · 33 participants
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte GF vs placebo

Keratinocyte GF may leads to lower oral mucositis (any severity) compared with placebo (low certainty).

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.82 [0.71, 0.94]
  2 studies · 160 participants
  Low

Acyclovir vs placebo

Acyclovir showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) 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 1.33 [0.85, 2.08]
  1 study · 57 participants
  GRADE not reported

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray vs Placebo (spray base without CMC / water)

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patient preference evenly split between CMC spray and spray base.
  1 study · 15 participants
  GRADE not reported

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) vs placebo

Superoxide dismutase showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) 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 1.17 [0.78, 1.75]
  1 study · 159 participants
  GRADE not reported

Histamine gel vs placebo

Histamine gel showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (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 [0.15, 6.08]
  1 study · 39 participants
  GRADE not reported

Mucin spray (Saliva Orthana) vs Placebo spray (base without mucin)

Mucin spray (Saliva Orthana) led to lower improvement in dry mouth (dichotomous) compared with placebo spray (base without mucin); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sweeney 1997 (parallel, n=31, terminal cancer): both sprays improved dry mouth symptoms but no statistically significant difference between mucin spray and placebo for improved dry mouth (Analysis 1.1; RR not…
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Camomile vs placebo

Camomile 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 0.63 [0.33, 1.22]
  1 study · 164 participants
  GRADE not reported

V6 chewing gum / mucin chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Aagaard 1992 (crossover, n=43): approximately 50% of participants had an increase in unstimulated whole saliva from all products; unclear how many completed the trial; no usable data.
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

V6 chewing gum / mucin chewing gum vs Placebo chewing gum

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Preference favoured mucin gum (61%) over V6 (21%) and placebo (5%).
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

G‐CSF vs placebo/no treatment

G-CSF led to lower oral mucositis (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 0.36 [0.15, 0.86]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Any antifungal intervention for the treatment of oral candidiasis vs Placebo, no treatment, or another active antifungal intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating oral candidiasis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes
  None of the studies reported: relief of pain, relief of dysphagia, incidence of systemic infection, amount of analgesia, days stay in hospital, cost of oral care, patient quality of life.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Sucralfate vs placebo

Sucralfate showed no clear difference in mucositis eradicated compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for treating oral mucositis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 1.13 [0.66, 1.94]
  2 studies · 84 participants
  GRADE not reported

Any antifungal intervention for the treatment of oral candidiasis vs Placebo, no treatment, or another active antifungal intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating oral candidiasis for patients with cancer receiving treatment 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes
  None of the studies reported: relief of pain, relief of dysphagia, incidence of systemic infection, amount of analgesia, days stay in hospital, cost of oral care, patient quality of life.
  0 studies
  No studies found