Testing a mouthwash to prevent mouth sores during throat cancer radiation

This study is testing whether GM-CSF mouthwash can help prevent severe oral mucositis — painful mouth sores that commonly develop when patients receive radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal cancer. About 138 patients will be split into two groups: one group will use the GM-CSF mouthwash four times daily during their radiation treatment, and the other group will receive standard care. Researchers will track how often severe mouth sores develop, how long they last, and how they affect quality of life.

Radiation therapy for throat cancer often causes severe mouth sores that make it painful to eat, drink, and swallow, sometimes forcing patients to interrupt treatment. This medication is being tested to see whether it can reduce the severity and duration of these sores, helping patients tolerate their cancer treatment better.