The effect of azelastine hydrochloride on radiation dermatitis and pharyngo-laryngeal mucositis in radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer

It has recently been suggested that reactive oxides produced by inflammation may result in cell injury, leading to mucositis and dermatitis. Azelastine hydrochloride suppresses the production of cytokines and reactive oxygen species, and some reports have documented its effectiveness in treating radiation mucositis and dermatitis. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of azelastine hydrochloride in preventing these diseases during radiation therapy for laryngeal cancer. Subjects were patients with laryngeal carcinomas who received curative radiation therapy. A close of 1 mg of azelastine hydrochloride was administered orally twice a day, from the start of the radiation therapy until one-four weeks after the completion of therapy. Chronological changes in the pharyngo-laryngeal cavity and the neck skin of the patients who received azelastine hydrochloride were compared with those of patients who did not. In the patients who received the azelastine hydrochloride, the onset of pharyngo-laryngeal mucositis and dermatitis was suppressed; symptoms were relieved earlier and were not exacerbated. No severe side effects were observed, and the effectiveness of the radiation therapy was not affected. The administration of azelastine hydrochloride concurrently with radiation therapy for laryngeal cancer suppressed the onset of pharyngo-laryngeal mucositis and dermatitis and alleviated the severity of these diseases. (K.H.)