skip to main content

Chemotherapy Mucositis Site — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

ModerateOral MedicineChemotherapy Mucositis SiteMFDS Part 1

A patient develops diffuse painful oral erythema and ulceration 7 days after receiving conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. Which distribution is most characteristic of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Buccal mucosa, floor of mouth, ventrolateral tongue and soft palate

The correct answer is B. Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy preferentially produces diffuse erythema and ulceration on movable, non-keratinised mucosa, particularly the buccal and labial mucosa, floor of mouth, ventrolateral tongue and soft palate. These rapidly renewing epithelial surfaces are especially susceptible to cytotoxic injury, with symptoms commonly emerging about one week after treatment. The hard palate and attached gingiva in B are predominantly keratinised and are less characteristically affected; ulceration at these sites should raise alternatives such as recurrent intraoral herpes simplex. Option D describes a predominantly periodontal distribution, D a salivary-duct distribution, and E a perioral rather than intraoral mucosal distribution.

Reference: Woo SB, Sonis ST, Sonis AL. The role of herpes simplex virus in the development of oral mucositis in bone marrow transplant recipients. Cancer. 1990;66:2375–2379. https://wmcanceralliance.nhs.uk/images/Documents/SaCT/Network_Guidelines_for_the_Oral_Care_of_Patients_receiving_SACT_v4.pdf