A prospective, randomized, multi-center trial to investigate Actovegin in prevention and treatment of acute oral mucositis caused by chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

PurposeA multi-center prospective randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Actovegin in the prevention and treatment of chemoradiotherapy-induced acute oral mucositis.Methods and materialsBetween February 2006 and May 2007, 156 evaluable patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were randomized to Group 1 (n = 53) for prevention, Group 2 (n = 51) for treatment, and Group 3 (n = 52) for control. All patients received concomitant chemoradiotherapy ± induction chemotherapy. Radiation technique and dose were similar among 3 groups. Intravenous Actovegin of 30 ml daily (5 days/week) was administrated from day 1 of the radiotherapy for Group 1 and from the onset of grade 2 mucositis for Group 2, until the end of the radiotherapy.ResultsThe incidence of grade 3 mucositis was lower in Group 1 compared with Group 3 (26.4% vs. 55.8%, P = 0.002). Group 2 had a lower progression rate of mucositis from grade 2 to 3 compared with Group 3 (39.2% vs. 60.4%, P = 0.035). There was no difference in the onset time of grade 3 mucositis among 3 groups. Actovegin was well tolerated and no treatment-related adverse events were observed.ConclusionsActovegin is effective in the prevention and treatment of chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis.