What do systematic reviews say?

Traumeel vs placebo

Traumeel 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 0.71 [0.49, 1.05]
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Prednisone vs placebo

Prednisone 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 1.03 [0.85, 1.24]
  1 study · 66 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

Cryotherapy (ice chips) 30 minutes showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with cryotherapy (ice chips) 60 minutes; GRADE not reported.

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.68 [0.36, 1.3]
  1 study · 178 participants
  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

Aloe vera vs placebo

Aloe vera led to lower 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 0.13 [0.02, 0.97]
  1 study · 61 participants
  GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs placebo

Pilocarpine 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 0.89 [0.58, 1.37]
  1 study · 34 participants
  GRADE not reported

Yangyin-humo decoction vs Traditional Western medicine

Yangyin-humo decoction showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with traditional Western medicine; GRADE not reported.

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.65 [0.41, 1.02]
  1 study · 42 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clarithromycin vs no treatment

Systemic antibiotic (clarithromycin) showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with no treatment; GRADE not reported.

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.69 [0.48, 1.01]
  1 study · 70 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hydrolytic enzymes vs no treatment

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

  Median 28 days
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Shenqi-fanghou vs no treatment

Shenqi-fanghou showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (any severity) compared with no treatment; GRADE not reported.

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.9 [0.8, 1]
  1 study · 140 participants
  GRADE not reported

Propantheline vs placebo

Propantheline 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 0.4 [0.12, 1.31]
  1 study · 12 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

Amifostine vs placebo/no treatment

It is very uncertain whether amifostine changes oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo/no treatment (very low certainty).

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.68 [0.45, 1.03]
  9 studies · 845 participants
  Very low

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

Cryotherapy (ice chips) may leads to lower oral mucositis (severe) compared with no treatment (low certainty).

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.36 [0.17, 0.77]
  5 studies · 472 participants
  Low

GM-CSF vs placebo/no treatment

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

  Median 28 days
  no estimate extracted
  8 studies
  GRADE not reported

Indigo wood root vs saline placebo

Indigo wood root led to lower oral mucositis (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 0.14 [0.02, 0.93]
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Glutamine (intravenous) vs placebo

Glutamine (intravenous) led to lower 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 0.25 [0.1, 0.62]
  3 studies · 93 participants
  GRADE not reported

Radiotherapy (morning) vs Radiotherapy (afternoon/evening)

• 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

Chlorhexidine vs placebo/no treatment

Chlorhexidine showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo/no treatment (low certainty).

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.82 [0.54, 1.23]
  4 studies · 244 participants
  Low

Honey vs no treatment

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

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

  Median 28 days
  RR 0.48 [0.31, 0.74]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported