What Advanced Practice Providers Need to Know About Oral Mucositis

Mucositis is a common side effect of many cancer treatments, with incidence rates of 40% in patients receiving chemotherapy, 80% in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantations, and up to 100% in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. The literature reports mucositis less frequently with targeted agents and immunotherapies; however, it should be considered in an advance practice provider’s approach to overall immune-related adverse event prevention, assessment, and management.