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Strahlentherapie und Onkologie
Published in: Strahlentherapie und Onkologie 3/2015

01-03-2015 | Original article

Modulation of radiation-induced oral mucositis by pentoxifylline: Preclinical studies

Authors: Sylvia Gruber, Margret Schmidt, Eva Bozsaky, Kathrin Wolfram, Julia Haagen, Bettina Habelt, Martin Puttrich, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Dörr, DVM, PhD

Published in: Strahlentherapie und Onkologie | Issue 3/2015

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Abstract

Background and purpose

Oral mucositis is a frequent early side effect of radio(chemo)therapy of head-and-neck malignancies. The epithelial radiation response is accompanied by inflammatory reactions; their interaction with epithelial processes remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) on the oral mucosal radiation response in the mouse tongue model.

Materials and methods

Irradiation comprised fractionation (5 fractions of 3 Gy/week) over 1 (days 0–4) or 2 weeks (days 0–4, 7–11), followed by graded local top-up doses (day 7/14), in order to generate complete dose–effect curves. PTX (15 mg/kg subcutaneously) was applied once daily over varying time intervals. Ulceration of mouse tongue epithelium, corresponding to confluent mucositis, was analyzed as the clinically relevant endpoint.

Results

With fractionated irradiation over 1 week, PTX administration significantly reduced the incidence of mucosal reactions when initiated before (day − 5) the onset of fractionation; a trend was observed for start of PTX treatment on day 0. Similarly, PTX treatment combined with 2 weeks of fractionation had a significant effect on ulcer incidence in all but one experiment. This clearly illustrates the potential of PTX to ameliorate oral mucositis during daily fractionated irradiation.

Conclusion

PTX resulted in a significant reduction of oral mucositis during fractionated irradiation, which may be attributed to stimulation of mucosal repopulation processes. The biological basis of this effect, however, needs to be clarified in further, detailed mechanistic studies.
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Metadata
Title
Modulation of radiation-induced oral mucositis by pentoxifylline: Preclinical studies
Authors
Sylvia Gruber
Margret Schmidt
Eva Bozsaky
Kathrin Wolfram
Julia Haagen
Bettina Habelt
Martin Puttrich
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Dörr, DVM, PhD
Publication date
01-03-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Strahlentherapie und Onkologie / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 0179-7158
Electronic ISSN: 1439-099X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-014-0775-1

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