***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
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    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Background and the Purpose of the Study Patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy for hematological malignancies are susceptible to development of oral mucositis , and no effective modality has been reported for its prophylaxis and treatment . The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc mouthwash on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis lesions . Methods In this double-blind r and omized trial , patients under chemotherapy for acute leukemia were divided into two test and control groups of 15 patients each . The groups were homogeneous with respect to medical history , tumor characteristics , and therapeutic details . The test group received 10ml 0.2 % zinc sulfate mouthwash , and the control group received 10ml 0.2 % chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash , twice a day for a period of two weeks .  Spijkervet scale was used to grade the severity of mucositis at every other week during eight weeks . The severity scores were analyzed with repeated measure ANOVA using SPSS 13.0 computer software . Results Mean severity scores were generally lower in the test group compared to the controls at all four time intervals evaluated ; but only , the differences in weeks of 2 and 3 were statistically significant ( P=0.025 ) . Conclusion Zinc mouthwash used in conjunction with chemotherapy may reduce the severity of oral mucositis lesions in patients with leukaemia The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral zinc sulfate in the prevention of chemotherapy‐induced mucositis in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem‐cell transplantation ( HSCT ) . This study was a double‐blind , r and omized , placebo‐controlled design , with 60 patients undergoing HSCT  , divided proportionally in experimental group who received zinc sulfate , and in placebo group . They all had received high‐dose chemotherapy conditioning regimen for allogenic transplantation . Oral mucositis assessed was based on World Health Organization ( WHO ) oral mucositis scale . There were no significant differences in the development of mucositis between the two groups . Severity of mucositis was not significantly different between the two groups either . The same result was obtained regarding the duration of mucositis .  Zinc sulfate did not show any significant adverse effects in experimental group . In conclusion , Zinc sulfate did not have any clinical benefits in prevention or reduction of severity , and duration of high‐dose chemotherapy‐induced mucositis in patients undergoing HSCT . Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons , Oral mucositis ( OM ) is a complication of high-dose chemotherapy ( HDC ) followed by hematopoietic SCT ( HSCT ) with few effective treatments . Selenium has a cytoprotective role via the glutathione peroxidase ( Glu . Px ) enzyme and prevents chemotherapy-induced toxicities . We performed a double‐blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of selenium on the prevention of OM in 77 patients with leukemia , undergoing allogeneic HSCT . Thirty-seven patients received oral selenium tablets ( 200 mcg twice daily ) from the starting day of HDC to 14 days after transplantation . OM was evaluated daily for 21 days after transplantation according to World Health Organization oral toxicity scale . The incidence of severe OM ( grade s 3–4 ) was significantly lower in the selenium group ( 10.8 % vs 35.1 % , P<0.05 ) . We noted that the duration of objective OM ( grade s 2–4 ) , excluding patient ’s self-declaration ( grade 1 ) , was significantly shorter in the selenium group ( 3.6±1.84 vs 5.3±2.2 days , P=0.014 ) . Significant elevations in serum selenium level and plasma Glu . Px activity were observed 7 and 14 days after transplantation compared with baseline in the selenium group . We conclude that selenium can reduce the duration and severity of OM after HDC . Clinical trial.org ID : NCT01432873 PURPOSE To determine the effect of oral zinc sulphate supplementation on radiation-induced oropharyngeal mucositis in patients with head- and -neck cancer . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Thirty patients with head- and -neck cancer were r and omly assigned to receive either zinc sulfate or placebo .  Primary tumors were localized in the larynx in 14 patients , in the nasopharynx in 4 , in the oral cavity in 4 , in a salivary gl and in 1 , in the maxillary sinus in 1 , in neck nodes ( lymphoma presenting primarily ) in 3 and in neck metastases from an unknown primary in 3 . In the placebo group , 3 patients were excluded ; 1 patient died during treatment , 1 left the study , and 1 did not come to the 6 week control visit . The patients were treated with telecobalt radiotherapy at conventional fractionation ( 2 Gy/fraction , five fractions weekly , for 20 - 35 fractions within 4 - 7 weeks ) . The median radiation dose was 6400 cGy ( 4000 - 7000 cGy ) . Oral mucositis was assessed by two independent physicians , experts in radiation oncology , using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Acute Radiation Morbidity Scoring criteria . RESULTS In the zinc sulfate group , Grade 3 - 4 mucositis was not detected in any patient ; Grade 0 mucositis was detected in 2 , and Grade 1 in 8 , and Grade 2 in 5 patients . In the placebo group , Grade 2 mucositis was detected in 4 and Grade 3 in 8 patients . We observed that the degree of mucositis in the patients in the zinc sulfate group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group ( p < 0.05 ) . Confluent mucositis developed earlier in the placebo group than in the zinc sulfate group after the onset of treatment ( p < 0.05 ) and started to improve sooner in the zinc sulfate group than in the placebo group ( p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Zinc sulfate is beneficial in decreasing the severity of radiation-induced mucositis and oral discomfort . These results should be confirmed by additional evaluation in r and omized studies with a larger number of patients Objectives Mucosal damage is an important and debilitating side effect when treating head and neck cancer patients with (chemo-)radiation . The aim of this r and omized clinical trial was to investigate whether the addition of a neutral , supersaturated , calcium phosphate ( CP ) mouth rinse benefits the severity and duration of acute mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiation . Material s and methods A total of 60 patients with malignant neoplasms of the head and neck receiving (chemo)radiation were included in this study . Fifty-eight patients were r and omized into two treatment arms : a control group receiving st and ard of care ( n = 31 ) and a study group receiving st and ard of care + daily CP mouth rinses ( n = 27 ) starting on the first day of (chemo-)radiation .  Oral mucositis and dysphagia were assessed twice a week using the National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria scale version 3 , oral pain was scored with a visual analogue scale . Results No significant difference in grade III mucositis ( 59 vs. 71 % ; p = 0.25 ) and dysphagia ( 33 vs. 42 % , p = 0.39 ) was observed between the study group compared to the control group . Also no significant difference in time until development of peak mucositis ( 28.6 vs. 28.7 days ; p = 0.48 ) , duration of peak mucositis ( 22.7 vs. 24.6 days ; p = 0.31 ) , recuperation of peak dysphagia ( 20.5 vs 24.2 days ; p = 0.13 ) and occurrence of severe pain ( 56 vs. 52 % , p = 0.5 ) . Conclusion In this r and omized study , the addition of CP mouth rinse to st and ard of care did not improve the frequency , duration or severity of the most common acute toxicities during and early after (chemo)radiation . There is currently no evidence supporting its st and ard use in daily practice Purpose Of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( HSCT ) , 75 % or more experience oral mucositis , a painful acute complication that can delay discharge , interrupt treatment , and threaten life . To evaluate the efficacy of a supersaturated calcium phosphate rinse ( SCPR ) , we compared it with customary care — topical mouth solutions — on measures of severity and consequent interventions and complications . Methods In this r and omized controlled trial , 40 patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT were r and omized : 20 to SCPR four times daily and 20 to solutions made with salvia leaf extract , iodine-povidine , and fluconazole . Treatment extended from initiation of conditioning treatment until the granulocyte count was ≥0.2 g/L. Mucositis severity was measured daily by a hematologist according to a World Health Organization ( WHO ) scale and self-assessed by patients . Need for interventions [ analgesics , total parenteral nutrition ( TPN ) , and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor ] and complications ( acute graft-versus-host disease and infections ) were also assessed . Results In comparison with the control group , the SCPR group had significantly lower mean measures of WHO oral toxicity ( 0.9 vs. 1.8 ; P = 0.02 ) , disease course ( 3.2 vs. 7.1 days ; P = 0.02 ) , and peak mouth pain ( 0.85 vs. 1.75 ; P = 0.005 ) . Analgesic need was significantly shorter ( 1.1 vs. 3.4 days ; P = 0.047 ) and the need for TPN significantly lower ( 0 vs. 6 patients ; P = 0.02 ; 0 vs. 1.9 mean days ; P = 0.009 ) . Measures of complications were lower in the SCPR group , but not significantly so . Trial limitations include the impracticality of achieving double blinding with agents so different in appearance and in preadministration preparation . Conclusions Compared with the control group , the SCPR group had significantly lower mean measures of oral toxicity , peak mouth pain , and disease course duration . These results warrant confirmation in controlled , multicenter , r and omized trials The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of zinc supplementation on radiation-induced mucositis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma ( NPC ) and those with oral cancers ( OC ) . A total of 100 patients with head and neck cancers engaged in a r and omized double blind study . All participants were placed into two r and omized groups ( experimental and control ) . The experimental group received a st and ard dose of zinc supplements , and the control group was given a placebo . Subgroup analyses were performed between 40 NPC and 43 OC patients . It was found that patients with OC in the control group developed Grade 2 and Grade 3 mucositis sooner than those in the experimental group . However , the benefits were not found to extend to patients with NPC . The results indicated that zinc supplementation prescribed in conjunction with radiotherapy postponed the development of severe mucositis solely for patients with OC . The pretreatment oral mucosa condition and areca chewing habit might account for such discrepancy Changes in the microflora on oral carcinoma surfaces may lead to both local and systemic infections , which may complicate the morbidity of the patient suffering from oral malignant neoplasms . Thus , anticancer therapy , irradiation , chemotherapy or surgery impairs the defence mechanism of the oral mucosa and is accompanied by proliferation of the mucosal biofilm with overgrowth of yeast and bacteria . This study investigates the inhibition of the biofilm present on the surface of oral squamous cell carcinomas . Biofilm sample s were obtained from the central surface ( 1 cm2 ) of each lesion in 10 patients ( eight male , two female ; mean age : 47.6 years ; SD + /- 7.6 ) before any antibiotherapy or tumour treatment . Patients were r and omly divided into two groups and were rinsed with Meridol mouthrinse ( amine fluoride ) or placebo ( saline solution ) for 7 days . Sample s were repeatedly taken from the same site after rinsing . Sample s were transported in pre-reduced brain heart infusion broth and cultured within 1 h of removal , using aerobic and anaerobic complete and selective media . Total aerobic and anaerobic counts were determined and isolated bacteria were identified . The median counts of colony forming units ( CFU/ml ) after rinsing with Meridol were significantly lower for both aerobes and anaerobes than before rinsing with Meridol . ( For aerobes before rinsing : 1.35 x 10(6 ) , after rinsing : 7.55 x 10(5 ) ; p = 0.025 ; for anaerobes before rinsing : 1.39 x 10(6 ) , after rinsing : 7.15 x 10(5 ) ; p = 0.011 . Rinsing with placebo : no significant difference was found . Aerobe median counts before rinsing : 1.17 x 10(6 ) , after rinsing : 1.03 x 10(5 ) , and for anaer 
    Output:
    
The general positive effect trend suggests individuals taking mineral derivatives during cancer therapies are less likely to experience peak OM than those without .