Self-management support interventions for patients with cancer treatment-related oral mucositis: a scoping review.

Authors

Han Yan, Xu Liu, Jiaying Li, Dongchi Ma, Wenjie Wang, Yuxing Xie, Li Wang, Li Ning

Published in

Frontiers in oncology. Volume 16. Pages 1950737. Epub Oct 02, 2026.

Abstract

Cancer treatment-related oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common adverse effects of cancer treatment and can substantially impair patients' quality of life. Its effective management depends heavily on patients' continuous self-management. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the intervention components, delivery modes, and existing limitations of self-management support interventions, thereby providing evidence to inform the optimization of intervention strategies.
A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. Seven databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFang, were searched from inception to May 10, 2026. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were charted using a standardized form and summarized using descriptive numerical and content analyses.
A total of 7,132 records were identified, and 16 studies were ultimately included, comprising 9 quasi-experimental studies, 6 randomized controlled trials, and 1 mixed-methods study. The interventions were primarily hospital-based and nurse-led, with some incorporating digital tools or written materials. Reported outcomes generally included OM-related clinical outcomes, quality of life, self-management-related outcomes, and nutritional status, although the direction and magnitude of findings varied across studies.
Existing studies have reported potential improvements in OM-related and self-management-related outcomes following self-management support interventions. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of heterogeneity in study designs, intervention components, and outcome measures, together with the absence of critical appraisal. Further well-designed studies using standardized outcome measures are needed to strengthen the evidence base.

PMID:
42891185
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Oct 2026.

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