O97 Oral Mucositis grades and candida species in head and neck irradiated patients

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate mucositis grades changes in patients before, during and after irradiation therapy in oral, head and neck region in connection with isolation of fungi from oral mucosal swabs. During one year period, we examined 25 patients with oral, hand and neck cancer operated and irradiated (22 males 88%, 3 females 12%) aged from 47 84, (average age 63) with ionizing radiation delivered by external source. The dosage of irradiation was 6000 cGy in 30 separated doses, 200 cGy each(max. dosage 7000 cGy in 35 separated doses, or min. 4880 in 26 separated doses). Patients were examined on three occasions: prior the irradiation, during the second week of irradiation and three weeks after the irradiation. The examination included establishing grade of mucositis (0 5), as well as taking swabs for mycological analysis. Results: The mucositis grades changes during second week of irradiation comparing to those before irradiation and those three weeks after the irradiation were statistically significant (p = 0.012 ; p = 0.010), while there were no statistically significant changes in mucositis grades before and after irradiation (p = 0.547). Candida isolation in quantity was equal before, during and after the irradiation with statistical significance, but with differences in quality during the irradiation. Conclusion: Statistically significant increase of mucositis grades in patients during the second week of irradiation is not connected with higher number of candida isolate in the same patients, but may be connected with candida species in that isolate.