Two cases in which the pain caused by esophagitis laryngitis stomatitis due to irradiation was reduced by Kikyo-to

Abstract

Drug therapies for mucositis, such as stomatitis caused by radiotherapy for cancer, include anti-inflammatory drugs, gargling with local anesthetics, and pain medication such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics or narcotics. However, the effects of these treatments are not adequate. Radiotherapy is often interrupted due to the pain induced by mucositis, infections, or the deterioration of nutritional status which might directly affect patients' prognosis, thus creating a demand for new therapeutic drugs. In this study, we observed that patients diagnosed with symptoms of endoesophagitis and stomatitis caused by radiation therapy improved after treatment with the traditional oriental medicine Kikyo-to. The drug was administered to two patients, one with pulmonary adenocarcinoma and another with buccal mucosa cancer, and they were able to complete their radiation therapy. Kikyo-to is a herbal medicine composed of Platycodon root and licorice root, and it is reported that both Platycodon root and licorice root have anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer effects. Kikyo-to is expected to provide a similar effect; therefore, it could be used as an effective supportive therapy for radiation-induced mucositis.