Actress Hina Khan, who battling breast cancer, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with mucositis, a painful side effect of chemotherapy. The actress took to Instagram to share her struggles and asked her followers for advice and remedies.
“Another side effect of chemotherapy is mucositis. Although I am following the doctors’ advice to treat it, if any of you have experienced this or know any helpful remedies, please suggest. It’s really hard when you can’t eat,” Khan wrote in her post. She captioned the post with, “Please suggest. DUA.”
Following the post, fans and followers responded with encouragement and suggestions.
In June this year, Khan revealed about her cancer diagnosis and she has been openly talking about her cancer treatment journey. Recently, Hina updated her followers, sharing that she had completed her fifth round of chemotherapy, with three more to go.
What is mucositis?
An inflammation of and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract is called mucositis. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the painful condition particularly affects the digestive system, especially the oral mucosa. It’s a common side effect of certain cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants).
Mucositis not only damages the existing cells in your mucosa, but also their ability to replicate themselves and heal. When the condition affects the mouth, the inside of your mouth is inflamed — red, shiny, swollen, raw and painful.
Who does mucositis affect?
You may be more likely to be affected or have more severe mucositis if you:
- Smoke or chew tobacco.
- Drink too much alcohol.
- Are dehydrated.
- Have protein deficiency.
- Have a low body mass index (BMI).
- Have dental implants or dentures.
- Have gum disease.
- Have kidney disease.
- Have diabetes.
- Have HIV.
What are the symptoms of mucositis?
Symptoms of mucositis include:
- Redness (erythematous mucosa).
- Abdominal pain.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Blood or mucus in your poop.
- Painful bowel movements.
- Red, shiny, swollen mouth and gums.
- Dry mouth.
- Extra thick saliva.
- Mouth ulcers.
- Soft white patches of pus.
- Difficulty swallowing, talking or eating.
- Bleeding.
- White mucous coating.
How mucositis is treated?
According to Cleveland Clinics, mucositis heals on its own after your course of cancer treatment has finished. “If you have chemotherapy, mucositis usually appears one to two weeks after beginning treatment and heals after one to six weeks. If you have radiation therapy, mucositis appears two to three weeks after beginning treatment and heals within two to four weeks after your therapy has finished,” it states.
The healing process requires pain management, mouth care, and complication treatment.