How do cancer treatments cause mouth sores?
Chemotherapy and radiation to the head or neck area both can cause mouth sores. That’s because these cancer treatments are intended to kill rapidly growing cells — such as cancer cells. Some healthy cells in your body also divide and grow rapidly, including the cells that line the inside of your mouth. Unfortunately these healthy cells are also damaged by chemotherapy and radiation. Damage to the cells in your mouth makes it difficult for your mouth to heal itself and to fend off germs, leading to sores and infections. Bone marrow or stem cell transplants also can lead to mouth sores if you develop graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In GVHD the transplanted cells or stem cells try to reject your body’s normal cells. The transplanted cells view your body’s cells as foreign and attack them. Mouth sores are just one sign of GVHD. Here’s what you may experience with each type of cancer treatment. Chemotherapy Whether you experience mouth sores while undergoing chemotherapy depends on the ty
