Side Effect: Sore Throat

What is a Sore Throat?

A sore throat is a common condition characterized by pain, irritation, or discomfort in the throat. It may be caused by a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection, allergies, environmental factors such as dry air or pollution, or other things such as chemotherapy.

What does a Sore Throat look like?

The symptoms of a sore throat may include:

• pain or difficulty swallowing
• hoarseness
• swollen glands in the neck
• In some cases, the throat may appear red and inflamed or have white patches or pus.

Who gets a Sore Throat?

In addition to infections, cancer or its treatment can also cause pain when swallowing, a condition known as dysphagia.

• Dysphagia may be caused by a tumor in the throat or neck, or from treatment with radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
• Certain types of chemotherapy can cause mucositis, which is an inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat.

On occasion, people have a mild sore throat for a short time after surgery due to having a breathing tube placed (intubation) for the operation.

How to prevent Sore Throat

Preventing sore throat from cancer treatment may involve a few strategies such as maintaining good oral hygiene, staying hydrated, and avoiding certain foods and drinks that can irritate the throat. Using a saltwater gargle may also help.

When the sore throat is due to receiving chemotherapy or radiation, it may not be completely preventable.

• Radiation: A medication called amifostine may help protect salivary glands from radiation to the head or neck which may help alleviate the symptom of sore throat after radiation.
• Chemotherapy: a medication known as palifermin may reduce mouth or throat pain, however it is only approved for patients with blood disorders receiving a stem cell transplant

How to treat Sore Throat

The treatment of sore throat from cancer treatment depends on the underlying cause of the sore throat. Because there are many possible causes, it is important to consider recent events that happened in the days that preceded the sore throat in order to determine the most likely cause which will guide treatment.

• Pain management, anti-inflammatory medication, or throat lozenges may be used to decrease symptoms.
  • A compounded liquid commonly known as “magic mouthwash” may be prescribed. A small amount of this liquid (e.g. 1 teaspoonful = 5mL) may be gargled and either spit out or swallowed to help numb the throat for a short period of time
  • Magic mouthwash contains: diphenhydramine, Maalox, and lidocaine and may interact with certain medications if swallowed. Check with your pharmacist to ensure it does not interact with any of your other medications.
• Some studies suggest that eating honey may be effective in reducing sore throat symptoms in patients receiving certain types of cancer treatment.
• In rare cases, a feeding tube may be required to prevent further irritation of the throat if eating becomes too difficult and you are losing too much weight.

Viral infection:

• If a sore throat is from a viral infection, you may need to wait until your immune system clears the infection.

Bacterial infection:

• If a sore throat is from a bacterial infection (for example, strep throat), then antibiotics may be prescribed. Your doctor may want to swab your throat and test for infection (bacterial or viral) before prescribing medication.

Fungal infection:

• If a sore throat is due to a candida fungal infection known as “thrush,” an antifungal medication in the form of an oral lozenge such clotrimazole, a liquid such as nystatin, or an oral pill such as fluconazole may be prescribed. Typically, thrush has a characteristic look and may be diagnosed based upon the appearance of your mouth and throat.