[Prevention and treatment of stomatitis, caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy: review of the literature].

Mucositis are a common problem in patients undergoing active treatment: oral complications can be painful, impact on quality of life and contribute to significant compliance problems that may require suspension of the treatments. There is no agreement on oral care prevention and treatment protocols and on the scientific bases of the measures recommended. Seventy articles published from 1980 to 1996 were identified using the key-words mucositis, antineoplastic agents, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and 42 double-blind clinical trials were selected and analysed. The limitedness of sample sizes, the heterogeneity of patients' treatments (chemo and radiotherapy, different dosages and drugs) and oral care protocols (frequency of oral care, products used), the differences in evaluation scales used and in the outcomes selected (effect on pain, number of ulcers, severity of ulcers) did not allow to compare studies, and therefore to arrive to a consensus on the effectiveness of the treatments studied. Unfortunately, to date, there are no solutions to such a problem and, once the mucositis occurs, the best results can be obtained only on pain control.