Mucositis generally lasts for 16 days after the start of
cytotoxic treatment, with healing starting on about the
12th day after the cancer treatment has
stopped.11
It varies depending on the type of cancer treatment:
Chemotherapy
- In patients treated with chemotherapy, oral mucositis can
develop from the first day of treatment. Initially, only the
deep-lying tissue is affected and there are no visible signs inside
the mouth.11
- Generally, the symptoms only appear 5 to 8 days after starting
treatment. Oral mucositis can persist for 7 to 14
days.11
- In some patients, oral mucositis can last
longer.11
Radiation to head and neck
- The symptoms of oral mucositis appear later (generally after 2
weeks). Healing cannot start until after the treatment has ended.
The symptoms of oral mucositis can then persist for up to 8
weeks.11