Genetic Determinants of Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis in Children with Solid Malignancies

The study examined genetic factors associated with oral mucositis, a severe side effect of chemotherapy in children with cancer. The research included 101 children with solid tumours at Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. Oral mucositis grade greater than 2 developed in 29 patients (28.7%). The study found that the genetic variant MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131) was associated with lower risk of severe oral mucositis, lower peak mucositis grade, and lower need for opioids for treatment. Twenty-five gene-drug interaction signals were identified, including miR-1206 rs2114358 with methotrexate and ABCB1 rs1045642 with anthracycline exposure. The results suggest that MTHFR A1298C has a protective effect against chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.