Chemotherapy has significantly improved survival of cancer patient, but it has many side effects. About 14-81% of patients receiving chemotherapy experiences oral mucositis. Studies have shown zinc supplements may act as protective agent against oral Mucositis. The aim of study was to explore the preventive role of zinc sulfate in chemotherapy induced mucositis. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc sulfate in prevention or decreasing severity of chemotherapy induced oral mucositis with chemotherapy regimens having high neutropenic potential. DESIGN:Open label two arms interventional study, with quantitative study design. SETTING: Study was conducted at Medical Oncology Department, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi in 6 months duration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patients were enrolled by convenience non-probability sampling technique. They were randomized to interventional arm receiving zinc sulfate plus chemotherapy and no interventional arm receiving only chemotherapy by systematic sampling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and severity of mucositis at day 7 and day 14 in interventional and non interventional arm. SAMPLE SIZE: It was two arm study with 50 patients in each arm with total of 100 patients. RESULTS: Chi Square test was applied on the effect of Zinc Sulphate on Mucositis. Mucositis assessed at day 7 & day 14 showed statistically significant difference in Mucositis incidence and severity in number of patients

Keywords : Oral mucositis, zinc sulphate, chemotherapy.