Effect of G-CSF on oral mucositis and traumatic ulcers produced in the tongue of rats undergoing radiotherapy: clinical and histologic evaluation

Objective To investigate the effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on oral mucositis (OM) and on the healing of traumatic ulcers produced in the tongue of rats undergoing radiotherapy (RT). Study Design Twenty-seven Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: (1) RT + traumatic ulcer + filgrastim (G-CSF analog; n = 7); (2) RT + traumatic ulcer + saline (n = 7); (3) no RT + traumatic ulcer + filgrastim (n = 7); and (4) no RT + traumatic ulcer (n = 6). The radiation dose was 30 Gy, and medication was filgrastim (10 μg/kg) for 7 days. Results Clinically, groups differed in the presence (Fisher's exact test: P = .008) and size of traumatic ulcers after irradiation (Kruskal-Wallis test: P = .032) and in the severity of OM (Fisher's exact test: P = .005 between the irradiated groups). Histologically, there was an increased inflammatory response in the nonirradiated groups (Fisher's exact test: P = .001). Conclusions Filgrastim reduced manifestations and the severity of trauma-induced ulcers and radiation-induced OM. Significant differences were not observed histologically between the study drug and respective control groups.