Could a simple mouthwash protect cancer patients from Radiation's painful side effects?
NCT ID NCT06251050
First seen Aug 13, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a mouthwash containing lithium can prevent or reduce oral mucositis (painful mouth sores) and dysgeusia (taste changes) in people receiving radiation for head and neck tumors. Participants will rinse with either a lithium mouthwash or a placebo during their radiotherapy course. The study aims to see if the mouthwash lowers the chance of severe mouth sores and improves quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lithium-containing mouthwash
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this mouthwash could offer a simple, low-cost way to reduce severe mouth sores and taste problems during radiotherapy, improving quality of life for head and neck cancer patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase trial, so the mouthwash may not prove more effective than placebo. Possible side effects include irritation or allergic reactions, and results may not apply to all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
175 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Mar 2024
- Finished
-
May 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 80 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Patients pathologically diagnosed with non-metastatic head and neck malignant tumors; Aged 18-80 years; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of ≤2; Planning to receive definitive RT or postoperative adjuvant RT; Normal liver, kidney and bone marrow function; Sign informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Known to be allergic to lithium or other components of mouthwash or severe allergic constitution; Poor oral hygiene and/or severe periodontal diseases; Any previous RT to the head and neck region, Severe kidney disease, severe cardiovascular disease, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson's disease or epilepsy; Recent use or current use of diuretics or other drugs known to interact with lithium; Deemed unsuitable for the study by the investigators (concomitant with any other severe diseases).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
West China Hospital, Sichuan University
Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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