Evaluating the radiosensitivity of the oral microbiome to predict radiation-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer patients: A prospective trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Predicting the occurrence and/or severity of oral mucositis (OM) before commencing radiotherapy (RT) remains very difficult. The aim of this prospective trial was to investigate whether the ex-vivo radiation sensitivity of oral keratinocytes from head and neck (H&N) cancer patients correlates with severe OM.

Methods

Oral microbiopsies of healthy gingival mucosa were collected from 63H&N cancer patients undergoing (chemo)RT, of which 58 samples were useable. Keratinocytes from these microbiopsies underwent ex-vivo proliferation, irradiation, and subsequently the cell spreading assay. Tubes with the cell suspension were placed within the irradiation chamber of a ¹³⁷Cs Gammacell 40 Exactor (Best Theratronics, Canada) and exposed to 0, 2, 4, 6

SUBMITTER: Thomsen AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11783056 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature