What is mucositis?

Mucositis is a condition that causes inflammation of the mouth and gut. It can affect eating, drinking and increase infection risk. Mucositis can be prevented and with early diagnosis, symptoms can be managed.

There are two types of mucositis. It’s possible to get both at the same time:

• Oral mucositis: This affects your mouth and tongue and can make talking, eating and swallowing difficult. It’s sometimes called stomatitis.
• GI mucositis: This affects your digestive system, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or gut. The lining of the GI tract gets thinner and becomes inflamed (sore and swollen).

Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Cancer treatments target cells that multiply quickly. This includes cancer cells, but also fast-growing healthy cells.

Mucositis happens when cancer treatments kill healthy cells in the mouth or gut. You’re more likely to get mucositis if you have high-dose chemotherapy.

Mucositis is painful but can often be treated and gets better with time. Mucositis caused by chemotherapy usually gets better a few days after treatment stops. If the mucositis is caused by radiotherapy, this can last for a few weeks after you finish treatment.

Your hospital team will help you understand your risk and how to prevent mucositis if you’re having treatment that can cause it. You can also let them know if you have any concerns.

Your risk of getting oral or GI mucositis varies depending on the type of treatment you have and the dose you are given. Your genes and your general health also affect your likelihood of getting mucositis. Generally, mucositis affects:

• 1 or 2 out of 5 people (20–40%) who have standard chemotherapy
• 4 out of 5 people (80%) who have high-dose chemotherapy before a stem cell transplant, with or without total body irradiation (TBI).

There are treatments and self-care strategies which can reduce the risk of getting mucositis and help with the symptoms.