EFFECTIVENESS OF TOPICAL APPLICATION OF MIXTURE OF HONEY AND COFFEE IN RADIATION INDUCED ORAL MUCOSITIS AMONG PATIENTS WITH HEAD & NECK CANCER UNDERGOING RADIOTHERAPY AT RADIOTHERAPY DEPARTMENT OF KGMU, LUCKNOW, U.P

Background: Cancers commonly known as head and neck cancers typically begin in the squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces within the head and neck. Oral mucositis is erythematous and ulcerative lesion of the oral mucosa in patients with cancer being treated with chemotherapy/ radiation therapy in the areas of oral cavity. Objectives: To assess the grade of the oral mucositis among head & neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of mixture of honey and coffee application on radiation induced oral mucositis among the study group. 3. To find the association between the radiation induced oral mucositis with selected demographic variables. Method: quasi experimental non randomized control group design was applied and 60 samples (30 in each group) were selected by convenience sampling technique. The mixture of honey and coffee was applied to the study group before and after 15 minutes of radiotherapy till the continuation of radiotherapy and no intervention was given in the control group. Result: The result revealed that the application of honey and coffee mixture was significantly effective on oral mucositis (p<0.001) in the study group. Conclusion: The study concluded that, application of mixture of honey and coffee is an effective method of reducing the onset and severity of oral mucositis in comparison with no intervention.