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Oral microbial influences on oral mucositis during radiotherapy treatment of head and neck cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Oral mucositis (OM) remains a significant complication developed by many patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) to the head and neck region. Emerging data suggest oral microbes may contribute to the onset and severity of this acute side effect.

Methods

In this study, saliva and oral swabs from head and neck cancer patients undergoing RT were collected. We employed molecular microbiological techniques to study the bacterial communities present in saliva, and both the bacterial and fungal communities present on the buccal mucosa and lateral tongue. Changes in microbiota composition with increasing radiation dose and the presence of mucositis were examined.

Results

The data suggest that the salivary microbiota remain stable during RT and are consistently dominated by Streptococcus, Prevotella, Fusobacterium and Granulicatella. Obligate and facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) Bacteroidales G2, Capnocytophaga, Eikenella, Mycoplasma and Sneathia, as well as anaerobic GNB in the periopathogenic genera Porphyromonas and Tannerella, were all positively correlated with ≥ grade 2 OM. Significant increases in the relative abundances of Bacteroidales G2, Fusobacterium and Sneathia were identified in buccal mucosa swabs at sites of ≥ grade 2 OM (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the abundance of several GNB (Fusobacterium, Haemophilus, Tannerella, Porphyromonas and Eikenella) on the buccal mucosa may influence patient susceptibility to developing OM. Candida was widely detected in buccal mucosa swabs, regardless of mucositis status.

Conclusions

Our findings support previously hypothesized associations between oral health and the pathogenesis of OM, highlighting the importance of oral health interventions for head and neck cancer patients.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Guo Ling for assistance with sample collection.

Funding

This work was supported by the Auckland District Health Board Charitable Trust [grant number 6277].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand

    Anna Vesty, Kristi Biswas, Brett Wagner Mackenzie & Richard G. Douglas

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand

    Kim Gear

  3. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    Michael W. Taylor

  4. Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    Michael W. Taylor

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  1. Anna Vesty
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Correspondence to Anna Vesty.

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Vesty, A., Gear, K., Biswas, K. et al. Oral microbial influences on oral mucositis during radiotherapy treatment of head and neck cancer. Support Care Cancer 28, 2683–2691 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-05084-6

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