Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (837 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An inflammation of the mucosa with burning or tingling sensation. It is characterized by atrophy of the squamous epithelium, vascular damage, inflammatory infiltration, and ulceration. It usually occurs at the mucous lining of the mouth, the gastrointestinal tract or the airway due to chemical irritations, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy (radiotherapy).
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Mucositides.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Gastroenteritis; Mouth Diseases
Related concepts
- Inflammation
- Mucous Membrane
- Epithelium
- Mouth
- Gastrointestinal Tract
- Drug Therapy
- Radiotherapy
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 2,323 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Mucositis” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 834 of them (35.9%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 1,081 records.
Reviews account for 426 records (18.3%) and meta-analyses for 55. Randomized controlled trials number 169 (7.3%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 422 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,081 |
| 2020 onward | 834 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 426 | 18.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 55 | 2.4% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 169 | 7.3% |
Method: PubMed query "Mucositis"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in digestive system and liver
Gut and liver research ranges from laboratory studies of the microbiome to large trials of drugs and surgery. Symptoms such as pain, reflux or bowel change are reported by patients and overlap between conditions, and diet and microbiome studies are mostly observational. Check whether the study measured symptoms, tissue findings or long-term outcomes, how the diagnosis was made and how long people were followed. Nothing here replaces advice from a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glutamine for Amelioration of Radiation and Chemotherapy Associated Mucositis during Cancer Therapy | 2020 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 102 | cc by PMID 32512833 · DOI · PMC7352314 |
| Microbiota from alginate oligosaccharide-dosed mice successfully mitigated small intestinal mucositis | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 80 | cc by PMID 32711581 · DOI · PMC7382812 |
| Interventions for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment: Evidence from Randomised Controlled Trials | 2023 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 71 | cc by PMID 36661723 · DOI · PMC9858113 |
| Mucositis Pain and Its Temporal Relationship to White Cell Count | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 39757886 · DOI · PMC11883507 |
Glutamine for Amelioration of Radiation and Chemotherapy Associated Mucositis during Cancer Therapy [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Glutamine is a major dietary amino acid that is both a fuel and nitrogen donor for healing tissues damaged by chemotherapy and radiation.
- Closing excerpt
- Topical and oral glutamine seem to be the preferred routes for this amino acid to promote mucosal healing during and after cancer treatment.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (137 words)
Glutamine is a major dietary amino acid that is both a fuel and nitrogen donor for healing tissues damaged by chemotherapy and radiation. Evidence supports the benefit of oral (enteral) glutamine to reduce symptoms and improve and/or maintain quality of life of cancer patients. Benefits include not only better nutrition, but also decreased mucosal damage (mucositis, stomatitis, pharyngitis, esophagitis, and enteritis). Glutamine supplementation in a high protein diet (10 grams/day) + disaccharides, such as sucrose and/or trehalose, is a combination that increases glutamine uptake by mucosal cells. This increased topical effect can reduce painful mucosal symptoms and ulceration associated with chemotherapy and radiation in the head and neck region, esophagus, stomach and small intestine. Topical and oral glutamine seem to be the preferred routes for this amino acid to promote mucosal healing during and after cancer treatment.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32512833 · DOI · PMC7352314
Microbiota from alginate oligosaccharide-dosed mice successfully mitigated small intestinal mucositis [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundThe increasing incidence of cancer and intestinal mucositis induced by chemotherapeutics are causing worldwide concern.
- Closing excerpt
- Video Abstract.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (213 words)
BackgroundThe increasing incidence of cancer and intestinal mucositis induced by chemotherapeutics are causing worldwide concern. Many approaches such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) have been used to minimize mucositis. However, it is still unknown whether FMT from a donor with beneficial gut microbiota results in more effective intestinal function in the recipient. Recently, we found that alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) benefit murine gut microbiota through increasing "beneficial" microbes to rescue busulfan induced mucositis.ResultsIn the current investigation, FMT from AOS-dosed mice improved small intestine function over FMT from control mice through the recovery of gene expression and an increase in the levels of cell junction proteins. FMT from AOS-dosed mice showed superior benefits over FMT from control mice on recipient gut microbiotas through an increase in "beneficial" microbes such as Leuconostocaceae and recovery in blood metabolome. Furthermore, the correlation of gut microbiota and blood metabolites suggested that the "beneficial" microbe Lactobacillales helped with the recovery of blood metabolites, while the "harmful" microbe Mycoplasmatales did not.ConclusionThe data confirm our hypothesis that FMT from a donor with superior microbes leads to a more profound recovery of small intestinal function. We propose that gut microbiota from naturally produced AOS-treated donor may be used to prevent small intestinal mucositis induced by chemotherapeutics or other factors in recipients. Video Abstract.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32711581 · DOI · PMC7382812
Interventions for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment: Evidence from Randomised Controlled Trials [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Oral mucositis is a common and most debilitating complication associated with cancer therapy.
- Closing excerpt
- The results of our review may assist in highlighting the efficacy and testing the effectiveness of low-cost, safe preventative measures for oral mucositis in cancer patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (197 words)
Oral mucositis is a common and most debilitating complication associated with cancer therapy. Despite the significant clinical and economic impact of this condition, there is little to offer to patients with oral mucositis, and the medications used in its management are generally only palliative. Given that mucositis is ultimately a predictable and, therefore, potentially preventable condition, in this study we appraised the scientific literature to evaluate effective methods of prevention that have been tested in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Published high-level evidence shows that multiple preventative methods are potentially effective in the prevention of oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both. Anti-inflammatory medications (including benzydamine), growth factors and cytokines (including palifermin), cryotherapy, laser-and-light therapy, herbal medicines and supplements, and mucoprotective agents (including oral pilocarpine) showed some degree of efficacy in preventing/reducing the severity of mucositis with most anticancer treatments. Allopurinol was potentially effective in the prevention of radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis; antimicrobial mouthwash and erythropoietin mouthwash were associated with a lower risk of development of severe oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy. The results of our review may assist in highlighting the efficacy and testing the effectiveness of low-cost, safe preventative measures for oral mucositis in cancer patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36661723 · DOI · PMC9858113
Mucositis Pain and Its Temporal Relationship to White Cell Count [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundChildren who have received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy treatment resulting in neutropenia can suffer painful mucositis.
- Closing excerpt
- This analgesic response to increasing white cell count had greater dominance than analgesia achieved using either opioids or ketamine.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (290 words)
BackgroundChildren who have received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy treatment resulting in neutropenia can suffer painful mucositis. We explored the relationship between pain score and white cell count in children with mucositis due to immunosuppression and assessed the influence of opioid and ketamine analgesia.MethodsChildren with mucositis nursed in the pediatric oncology and hematology ward were invited to partake in this observational study following referral to the pediatric pain service for intravenous analgesia. Pain scores, white cell count, neutrophil count, and analgesia requirements were recorded daily until intravenous analgesia was either stopped or transitioned to oral analgesia. Data were analyzed using nonlinear mixed effects models that sought a relationship between white cell count and pain score using a sigmoid maximal effect (EMAX) model. The impact of analgesic use on pain score was determined. The temporal relationship between white cell count and pain score was characterized by using a delayed effect model with an equilibration half-time.ResultsFifty children were enrolled in the study from January 2022 to December 2023. The equilibration half-time relating the rise in white cell count and pain response was 0.29 days. The initial pain score (estimated in those children already started on treatment with paracetamol and tramadol) was 6.3 (maximum pain 10). The maximum pain reduction was 59% of that initial pain score. Morphine and ketamine further reduced pain; the maximum response for opioids was 38% reduction and that for ketamine was 11%.ConclusionPain relief from mucositis is related to an increase in white cell count after a period of severe neutropenia, where white cell count is a surrogate for neutrophil count. There is a delay in analgesic response of approximately 1 day. This analgesic response to increasing white cell count had greater dominance than analgesia achieved using either opioids or ketamine.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39757886 · DOI · PMC11883507
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy [5]
- Research article MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy [6]
- Research article Prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases-The EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline [7]
- Research article Prevalences of peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis: systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Systematic review: the role of the gut microbiota in chemotherapy- or radiation-induced gastrointestinal mucositis - current evidence and potential clinical applications [9]
- Research article Peri-implant health, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis: Case definitions and diagnostic considerations [10]
References
- Anderson PM, Lalla RV. Glutamine for Amelioration of Radiation and Chemotherapy Associated Mucositis during Cancer Therapy. . 2020. PMID 32512833 · DOI · PMC7352314
- Zhang P, Liu J, Xiong B, Zhang C, Kang B, Gao Y, et al.. Microbiota from alginate oligosaccharide-dosed mice successfully mitigated small intestinal mucositis. . 2020. PMID 32711581 · DOI · PMC7382812
- Colella G, Boschetti CE, Vitagliano R, Colella C, Jiao L, King-Smith N, et al.. Interventions for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment: Evidence from Randomised Controlled Trials. . 2023. PMID 36661723 · DOI · PMC9858113
- Douglas C, Morse JD, Anderson BJ. Mucositis Pain and Its Temporal Relationship to White Cell Count. . 2025. PMID 39757886 · DOI · PMC11883507
- Lalla RV, Bowen J, Barasch A, Elting L, Epstein J, Keefe DM, et al.. MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy. Cancer. 2014. PMID 24615748 · DOI · PMC4164022
- Elad S, Cheng KKF, Lalla RV, Yarom N, Hong C, Logan RM, et al.. MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy. Cancer. 2020. PMID 32786044 · DOI · PMC7540329
- Herrera D, Berglundh T, Schwarz F, Schwarz F, Chapple I, Jepsen S, et al.. Prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases-The EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline. J Clin Periodontol. 2023. PMID 37271498 · DOI
- Lee CT, Huang YW, Zhu L, Weltman R. Prevalences of peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dent. 2017. PMID 28478213 · DOI
- Touchefeu Y, Montassier E, Nieman K, Gastinne T, Potel G, Bruley des Varannes S, et al.. Systematic review: the role of the gut microbiota in chemotherapy- or radiation-induced gastrointestinal mucositis - current evidence and potential clinical applications. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014. PMID 25040088 · DOI
- Renvert S, Persson GR, Pirih FQ, Camargo PM. Peri-implant health, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis: Case definitions and diagnostic considerations. J Periodontol. 2018. PMID 29926953 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.