Which of the following is recommended for mucositis care in clinical practice?

• A. Cryotherapy
• B. Palifermin for Head and Neck Cancer
• C. Lactobacillus Lozenges
• D. Benzydamine for Patients Receiving Combination Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

Answer: (A)

Cooling the mouth during the chemotherapy infusion, known as cryotherapy, is recommended because it reduces mucositis risk by vasoconstricting oral vessels and limiting the mucosa’s exposure to the cytotoxic drug during infusion. This simple, low-cost intervention has strong evidence for certain regimens with short infusion times—most notably 5-fluorouracil and high-dose melphalan used in stem cell transplantation—and it’s easy for clinicians to implement with minimal risk. That combination of effectiveness in key settings and practicality makes cryotherapy a widely supported practice for mucositis prevention.

Other options don’t fit as broadly. Palifermin is mainly used to prevent mucositis in patients with hematologic cancers undergoing stem cell transplantation, not in typical solid-tumor chemo/radiation scenarios. Lactobacillus lozenges lack robust evidence for mucositis prevention. Benzydamine mouthwash can offer symptomatic relief for some patients, but it isn’t proven to prevent mucositis across all regimens.