Authors: Ourania NicolatouGalitis Aristea Velegraki Anastasia SotiropoulouLontou Konstantinos Dardoufas Vassilis Kouloulias Konstantinos Kyprianou Georgia Kolitsi Christos Skarleas George Pissakas Vassilis S Papanicolaou John Kouvaris
Publish Date: 2005/06/10
Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 44-51
Abstract
Sixtythree patients with malignant head and neck tumor eligible to receive radiotherapy entered the study Thirtyfour patients group A received 100 mg/day of fluconazole prophylaxis during radiotherapy and were compared with 29 patients who received radiotherapy alone group B The two groups were similar in terms of patients and radiotherapy characteristics Smear to test for Candida carriage was taken before and after radiotherapy Oral candidiasis was diagnosed using the criteria described before Oral mucositis was recorded according to EORTC/RTOG criteriaA significant reduction of severe mucositis at the end of radiotherapy 147 vs 448 p=0018 and of interruptions 0 vs 172 p=0017 was observed in group A Candidiasis was prevented 0 vs 345 p=0001 with a significant reduction of Candida carriage of 407 p=0001Fluconazole prophylaxis showed a significant beneficial impact on the severity of mucositis and on radiotherapy interruptions in this group of patients The current study provides data on the build of a randomized controlled trial on the effect of fluconazole prophylaxis on treatment schedule and quality of life of the patients during head and neck radiotherapy
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