How common is mucositis?
Mucositis can be a very common side effect for certain types of treatment. For example, almost all people who receive high-dose radiotherapy to treat mouth or neck cancers, will develop the most severe symptoms of oral mucositis, known as grade three or grade four mucositis. Also, 75% of people who receive high-dose chemotherapy because they are undergoing a stem cell transplant (more commonly known as a bone marrow transplant) will develop grade three or grade four mucositis. See the Diagnosis section for more information about the grading system that is used for mucositis. Mucositis is less common in cancer treatments that do not involve the head or neck, but it can still be a problem. For example, 40% of all cancer patients will develop some degree of mucositis. Prognosis The most serious cases of mucositis can lead to a number of associated health complications, some of which are occasionally life threatening. Therefore, the condition requires careful monitoring and management. Man
