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Chemotherapy- or radiation-induced oral mucositis (OM) can cause pain, difficulty in eating, and other complications that adversely affect quality of life; when severe, OM can interrupt treatment or necessitate treatment modifications. Unfortunately, few effective preventive or therapeutic approaches exist for OM. The mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract is naturally protected and repaired by intestinal trefoil factor (ITF), a peptide produced by mucin-secreting glands. In studies in which the mucosa was exposed to toxic substances, a new potential OM remedy — a recombinant human form of ITF (rhITF) — prevented mucosal breakdown and helped in its restoration. Now, in a phase II trial, investigators have examined the effects of rhITF adminis…