A Study to Determine the Effectiveness of Honey/Frozen Fruit Juice/Fresh Fruit Juice along with Oral Care Protocol in Reducing Chemotherapy Induced Oral Mucositis among Oncology Clients in Devaki Hospital at Madurai

INTRODUCTION: “The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity, no matter what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again (or) whether you die. The important thing is that the days that you have had you will have lived.” -Gilda Radner. Cancer is the scarier diagnosis in most people’s minds. It is often considered untreatable and unbearably painful with no cure. Cancer is undoubtedly a serious disease and potentially life threatening. Chemotherapy is a type of treatment for cancer that uses drugs that destroy cancer cells. These drugs work by stopping or slowing down the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. Patients who receive chemotherapy often develop a number of side effects such as fever, neutropenia, obvious infection or other complications. Certain chemotherapeutic drugs cause erythema, oedema, atrophy and ulceration of the oral mucosa, most commonly referred to as oral mucositis. Oral mucositis is a debilitating condition characterized by pain, odyno-dysphagia, malnutrition, dehydration and often associated with an increased the risk for systemic infections in immune compromised patients. Honey, one of the oldest known natural drugs, is regarded as a health giving substance since ancient times. The medicinal properties of honey include wound healing capacity. Honey reduces inflammation and edema, stimulates the growth and regeneration of epithelial tissues and thus enhances granulation and debridement , thereby accelerating tissue repair and leads to wound healing. Papaya is a wonderful fresh fruit and has healing properties. It contains a proteolytic enzyme called papain. Papain is also effective for the relief of the side effects of cancer treatments, such as difficulty in swallowing and sore mouth after radiation and chemotherapy. It also boosts the immune system and helps the body to fight against cancer cells. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of honey / frozen juice (Papaya) / fresh fruit juice (Papaya) along ...