The pathobiology of mucositis

Oral and gastrointestinal mucositis is a toxicity of many forms of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It has a significant impact on health, quality of life and economic outcomes that are associated with treatment. It also indirectly affects the success of antineoplastic therapy by limiting the ability of patients to tolerate optimal tumoricidal treatment. The complex pathogenesis of mucositis has only recently been appreciated and reflects the dynamic interactions of all of the cell and tissue types that comprise the epithelium and submucosa. The identification of the molecular events that lead to treatment-induced mucosal injury has provided targets for mechanistically based interventions to prevent and treat mucositis.