A research group consisting of Okayama University, Sun Medical Co., Ltd., and Morita Co., Ltd. has developed a new oral mucosal protective material that is expected to relieve the pain of oral mucositis that frequently occurs during cancer chemotherapy.Obtained medical device approval.
Oral mucositis is one of the side effects associated with cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy).It develops on the lips and tongue, and severe pain (mainly contact pain) makes it difficult to eat, talk, and brush your teeth, resulting in a significant reduction in quality of life (QOL).In addition to the effects of anticancer drugs and radiation, oral mucositis is caused by contact with the lips and tongue (physical stimulation), and an increase in oral bacteria due to a decrease in saliva secretion.
This time, the research group has developed a new oral mucosa protective material (trade name: Soft Protector CPC) using the bactericidal cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC).Unlike the conventional treatment that protects the surface of oral mucositis, CPC filled in the "teeth" that touches the mucositis surface is slowly released and exerts an antibacterial effect on the surface of the protective material to alleviate contact pain. do. CPC is very safe and easy to use, and is included in over-the-counter toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Currently, at Okayama University Hospital, we are conducting a specific clinical study to examine the effects (efficacy and safety) of the developed oral mucosa protective material for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.In the future, by combining the developed oral mucosa protective material with existing treatments, we aim to develop a new treatment method that relieves the pain caused by oral mucositis and contribute to improving the QOL of cancer patients.
