What do systematic reviews say?

GM-CSF vs placebo or no treatment

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (total parenteral nutrition) compared with placebo or no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• 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 1.10 [0.63, 1.91]
  1 study · 36 participants
  GRADE not reported

G‐CSF vs placebo or no treatment

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) compared with placebo or no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• 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 0.16 [0.01, 2.86]
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (total parenteral nutrition) 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

  BMT/SCT after conditioning for haematological cancers
  RR 0.89 [0.58, 1.34]
  4 studies · 714 participants
  GRADE not reported

GM-CSF vs placebo or no treatment

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (tube feeding) compared with placebo or no treatment; GRADE not reported.

• 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 0.31 [0.01, 7.09]
  1 study · 29 participants
  GRADE not reported

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray vs placebo

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), oral spray showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (total parenteral nutrition) 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 1.03 [0.55, 1.94]
  1 study · 136 participants
  GRADE not reported

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)

It is very uncertain whether oral cryotherapy (ice chips, ice-cold water, ice cubes or crushed… changes normalcy of diet (days of total parenteral nutrition, TPN) compared with control (no treatment or standard/usual oral care, e.g. saline rinse) (very low certainty).

• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  High-dose melphalan-based treatment prior to HSCT (haematological cancers)
  MD -2.18 [-4.33, -0.03]
  1 study · 78 participants
  Very low
• Interventions for preventing oral mucositis in patients with cancer receiving treatment: oral cryotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorouracil (5FU) treatment for solid cancers
  Summary of findings for the main comparison (5FU solid cancers): Normalcy of diet (days of total parenteral nutrition) - 'No studies assessed this outcome'.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Open reduction and fixation vs Closed (conservative) management (no active intervention other than soft diet, analgesics or antibiotics; or intermaxillary/maxillary-mandibular fixation with rigid or elastic traction)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of fractures of the mandibular condyle 2010 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) vs usual treatment alone

Brief one-session, manual-guided discussion based on the principles… led to lower alcohol consumption: consuming more than 21 units of alcohol per week compared with treatment at the outpatient clinic as usual; GRADE not reported.

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months
  RR 0.52 [0.32, 0.85]
  1 study · 151 participants
  GRADE not reported

One-to-one advice on sugar restriction: detailed information on the sugar content of foods, with instruction to refrain from sugar-containing foods between meals and to reduce sugar in main meals (6-week sugar restriction) vs No advice on sugar restriction

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 weeks
  Table 5, mean (SD) intakes/day between meals: intervention 6.7 (1.9) baseline, 0.8 (1.0) at 3 weeks, 0.9 (1.0) at 6 weeks, 5.6 (3.0) at 12 weeks; control 5.3 (2.3), 5.2 (2.9), 4.6 (3.5), 4.7 (1.5). Significant…
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

One-to-one advice on sugar restriction: detailed information on the sugar content of foods, with instruction to refrain from sugar-containing foods between meals and to reduce sugar in main meals (6-week sugar restriction) vs No advice on sugar restriction

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 weeks
  Table 5, mean (SD) intakes/day at main meals: intervention 2.8 (0.5) baseline, 0.7 (0.7) at 3 weeks, 0.8 (0.9) at 6 weeks, 2.3 (0.8) at 12 weeks; control 1.9 (1.1), 1.9 (1.2), 1.9 (1.1), 2.0 (0.9). Significant…
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

One-to-one advice on sugar restriction: detailed information on the sugar content of foods, with instruction to refrain from sugar-containing foods between meals and to reduce sugar in main meals (6-week sugar restriction) vs No advice on sugar restriction

• One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 weeks
  Table 5, total mean (SD) intakes/day: intervention 9.5 (1.9) baseline, 1.6 (1.4) at 3 weeks, 1.8 (1.5) at 6 weeks, 7.8 (3.5) at 12 weeks; control 7.2 (2.6), 7.1 (3.7), 6.5 (4.2), 6.7 (2.2). Significant reduction versus…
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported