The place and role of oral microflora in the pathogenesis of oral mucositis in malignant neoplasms (literature review)

Background. Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most frequent complications of systemic drug therapy of oncological diseases. Clinically, the disease manifests itself in the form of erythema and ulceration of the non-corneating mucous membrane. Although this condition is self-healing, it can affect the conduct of comprehensive antitumor treatment. Currently, the pathophysiological model of the development of OM is supplemented with new data obtained during studies of the oral microflora. Antitumor treatment can lead to changes in the composition of the resident oral microflora and it is quite possible that the changes that occur may affect the development of damage to the oral mucosa. The expansion of knowledge in this area allows researchers to look for new ways to include oral microbiota in OM management strategies.

Aim. To summarize and update the accumulated data regarding the role of the oral microbiota in the pathogenesis of OM in patients with malignant neoplasms.

Materials and methods. Literature search was performed in Medline, Cochrane Library, Elibrary and Pubmed, including publications demonstrating the current ability to assess the impact of the oral microbiome on OM, as well as developments in this area relating to OM management.

Results. In the review the current views on the position of the oral microbiome in the pathogenesis of OM were highlighted and the promising directions for the use of agents influencing the state of the oral microbiota in various strategies to control this disease were emphasised.

Conclusion. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of OM and the inclusion of new factors, such as the oral microbiome, into the picture of pathogenesis is likely to enable the formation of more effective management strategies for this disease in the future. This direction seems very promising, and developments in this area show promising results.