Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Patients with head and neck cancer frequently develop oral complications such as oral mucositis, infections, necrosis, and periodontal disease among others as a consequence of antineoplastic therapy. It is mainly radiotherapy that promotes oral dysbiosis, fa...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Tanya Pereira-Riveros Enric Jané-Salas José López-López Constanza Saka-Herran Isabel Linares-Galiana Teresa Vinuesa-Aumedes |
| author_facet | Tanya Pereira-Riveros Enric Jané-Salas José López-López Constanza Saka-Herran Isabel Linares-Galiana Teresa Vinuesa-Aumedes |
| author_sort | Tanya Pereira-Riveros |
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| description | <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Patients with head and neck cancer frequently develop oral complications such as oral mucositis, infections, necrosis, and periodontal disease among others as a consequence of antineoplastic therapy. It is mainly radiotherapy that promotes oral dysbiosis, favouring the overgrowth of opportunistic microorganisms. Identifying effective adjunctive strategies to prevent or mitigate these adverse effects is crucial. Recent studies have suggested that probiotics could be used to restore microbial homeostasis and modulate inflammatory responses in the oral cavity. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the efficacy of probiotics in alleviating oral complications associated with antineoplastic treatments in this patient population. <b>Methods:</b> A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, LILACS, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. <b>Results:</b> Nine eligible RCTs were analysed using a random-effects meta-analysis. Probiotic use was significantly associated with a reduced incidence of severe (grade 3–4) oral mucositis (RR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.41–0.81). Moderate benefits were also observed in modulating the oral microbiota and reducing levels of pathogenic bacteria and <i>Candida</i> spp. However, no significant improvements were noted in periodontal parameters or plaque indices. <b>Conclusions:</b> Probiotics show promise in the management of oral mucositis, but further well-designed trials are needed to evaluate their broader impact on oral health during cancer therapy. This review is not registered on PROSPERO. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Dentistry Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd30af7a3e2a495d98cf08a533800aa22025-08-20T02:24:29ZengMDPI AGDentistry Journal2304-67672025-06-0113625410.3390/dj13060254Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisTanya Pereira-Riveros0Enric Jané-Salas1José López-López2Constanza Saka-Herran3Isabel Linares-Galiana4Teresa Vinuesa-Aumedes5Department of Odontostomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dentistry), University of Barcelona, 08907 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Odontostomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dentistry), University of Barcelona, 08907 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Odontostomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dentistry), University of Barcelona, 08907 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Odontostomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dentistry), University of Barcelona, 08907 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainRadiation Oncology Department, Catalan Institute of Oncology, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainMicrobiology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, IDIBELL, University of Barcelona, 08907 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Patients with head and neck cancer frequently develop oral complications such as oral mucositis, infections, necrosis, and periodontal disease among others as a consequence of antineoplastic therapy. It is mainly radiotherapy that promotes oral dysbiosis, favouring the overgrowth of opportunistic microorganisms. Identifying effective adjunctive strategies to prevent or mitigate these adverse effects is crucial. Recent studies have suggested that probiotics could be used to restore microbial homeostasis and modulate inflammatory responses in the oral cavity. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the efficacy of probiotics in alleviating oral complications associated with antineoplastic treatments in this patient population. <b>Methods:</b> A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, LILACS, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. <b>Results:</b> Nine eligible RCTs were analysed using a random-effects meta-analysis. Probiotic use was significantly associated with a reduced incidence of severe (grade 3–4) oral mucositis (RR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.41–0.81). Moderate benefits were also observed in modulating the oral microbiota and reducing levels of pathogenic bacteria and <i>Candida</i> spp. However, no significant improvements were noted in periodontal parameters or plaque indices. <b>Conclusions:</b> Probiotics show promise in the management of oral mucositis, but further well-designed trials are needed to evaluate their broader impact on oral health during cancer therapy. This review is not registered on PROSPERO.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6767/13/6/254radiotherapychemotherapysurgeryprobioticshead and neck cancer |
| spellingShingle | Tanya Pereira-Riveros Enric Jané-Salas José López-López Constanza Saka-Herran Isabel Linares-Galiana Teresa Vinuesa-Aumedes Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Dentistry Journal radiotherapy chemotherapy surgery probiotics head and neck cancer |
| title | Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Probiotics and Oral Complications of Antineoplastic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | probiotics and oral complications of antineoplastic therapy in head and neck cancer a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | radiotherapy chemotherapy surgery probiotics head and neck cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6767/13/6/254 |
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