Among various therapies administered during radiation-induced mucositi
s, treatment with immunoglobulin has proven clinically successful. In
this study the efficacy of prophylactic applications of immunoglobulin
was investigated from January 1992 through August 1993. Forty-two pat
ients with histologically-proven head and neck cancer were given posto
perative radiation treatment. In cases with macroscopic tumor residues
or inoperability, combined radio-chemotherapy was given. This include
d 51.3 Gy at 1.9 Gy 5X/week, boosted to 10-26 Gy at 2 Gy 5X/week and c
arboplatin 60 mg/m(2) at days 1-5 and 29-33. Panthenol (4x10 ml/day) a
nd nystatin (4x1 ml/day) were given to 20 patients as prophylactic tre
atment for mucositis. Twenty-two subsequent patients also received int
ramuscular 800 mg (5 ml) human immunoglobulin (1X/week). According to
the Seegenschmiedt/Sauer classification the extent of mucositis was de
termined 3X/week. Comparison of the distribution of maximal mucositis
revealed a slightly more severe mucosal reaction in the controlgroup (
n.s.). Analysis of the mean degree of mucositis in both groups demonst
rated statistically significant differences (p=0.031) related to the w
hole collective and patients receiving concomitant chemotherapy while
no effect of immunoglobulin was found in patients treated by radiation
alone. In the immunoglobulin-treated-group, the time from the beginni
ng of therapy to the first interruption was prolonged 5 days (37.5+/-1
3.1 vs. 42.7+/-13.3 days), but this difference was not significant. Al
though prophylactic application of immunoglobulin seemed to lower the
degree of radiation-induced mucositis, this effect was less significan
t when compared to the immunoglobulin given in a therapeutic manner.