CHEMO-INDUCED ORAL COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS TREATED FOR CANCER AT THE YAOUNDE GENERAL HOSPITAL

Eyimi Abessolo François G.*, Ndoe Guiaro Marcellin, Atenguena Etienne, Ndom Paul and Bengondo Charles

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the most used cancer therapies. But the chemotherapy, because of its non-specificity towards neoplastic cells causes many complications among which the oral complications. About 40% of chemotherapy patients develop an oral complication and, this prevalence can go up to 76% in malignant hemopathies. In this study, our objectives were to determine the prevalence, frequency and average extension time for the occurrence of these complications at the Yaounde general hospital. In the other hand, the association of these complications with a few risk factors was evaluated. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a descriptive study over 6 months with prospective data collection in the oncology department of the General Hospital of Yaounde. Our sample was determined consecutively and randomly. The selected patients (1 patient = 1 file), after receiving their chemotherapy cure, were consulted on the 10th day to identify the sprung complications. When a statistical test was required, a value of p˂0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. 95 participants (36 men and 59 women) were included in our study. The prevalence of oral complications was 40%. and, four types of toxicity were observed in this population namely: the mucositis (44.74%), the xerostomia (26.32%), the dysgeusia (23.68%) and the oral candidiasis (5.26% ). These complications occurred after an average extension time of 08 days and seemed to be frequent in the female sex and in the age group of 30 to 40 years. The risk factors associated with these complications were: the young age (p = 0.025), the unpleasant oral health (p = 0.049; OR = 3.27; CI = [1.09-9.80] and HIV infection (p = 0.01; OR = 4.78; CI = [1.39-16.41]. Thus, chemo-induced oral complications are a reality in Cameroon with a prevalence of 40% reported at the end of this study.

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