Can chemotherapy cause painful white patches on the tongue?

Question

Hi doctor,

My colleague is 47 years old. He just had her first round of chemotherapy for breast cancer, and her tongue is now covered in painful white patches. She is finding it hard to eat or drink anything comfortably. Could this be thrush from the chemotherapy? Is there a safe over-the-counter treatment she can try? She also feels extremely thirsty all the time. Should she get her blood sugar checked? Or could this just be from dehydration caused by treatment?

Please help me.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Yes, the white patches on your colleague’s tongue could be thrush, a common side effect of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can weaken the immune system, making it easier for fungal infections like thrush to develop. She should see her doctor for a prescription treatment, but there are over-the-counter options like Clotrimazole lozenges or Nystatin oral suspension that can help. It is important to get confirmation from her doctor first to ensure she gets the right treatment. Feeling extremely thirsty could be from dehydration caused by chemotherapy or it could be a sign of high blood sugar, a potential side effect of certain chemotherapy drugs. It is a good idea for her to get her blood sugar checked to rule out any problems, especially if this thirst persists.

Feel free to follow up with any further questions or concerns.

I hope this information helps you.

Thank you.