Evaluation of radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with nnasopharyngeal carcinomas

Salivary glands are extremely susceptible to radiation injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, referring to Tabriz Imam Khomeini Hospital in 2005-2006. Thirty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, who received conventional radiotherapy, were included in the present study. The patients' unstimulated saliva samples were collected at three intervals, i.e. before treatment, 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment and at the end of treatment by spitting, and measured with a graduated pipette. The differences in the mean values of the patients' salivary flow rates at three afore-mentioned intervals were statistically significant [p < 0.001]. Two-by-two comparison of the mean values of salivary flow rates of all the patients and of males and females, carried out separately, demonstrated statistically significant differences [p < 0.0025]. However, there were no statistically significant differences between males and females before treatment [p = 0.723], 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment [p = 0.724] and at the end of treatment [p = 0.595]. There were no statistically significant relationships between age and a decrease in salivary flow rate in the total sample [p = 0.76, r = -0.057], in males [p = 0.96, r = 0.011] and in females [p = 0.539, r = -0.208]. Conventional radiotherapy results in severe xerostomia in 3 weeks in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Age and sex do not influence radiotherapy-induced xerostomia

Prevenção da xerostomia e da mucosite oral induzidas por radioterapia com uso do laser de baixa potência / Low level laser therapy in the prevention of radiotherapy-induced xerostomia and oral mucositis

OBJETIVO: Verificar se o uso do laser de InGaAlP com comprimento de onda de 685 nm pode reduzir a incidência de xerostomia, gravidade da mucosite oral e da dor associada à mucosite em pacientes portadores de câncer de cabeça e pescoço submetidos a radioterapia. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Sessenta pacientes portadores de carcinoma de cabeça e pescoço foram submetidos a radioterapia com dose diária de 1,8 a 2,0 Gy e dose final de 45 a 72 Gy. O volume salivar foi medido nos dias um, 15, ao final do tratamento e após 15 e 30 dias, e a mucosite oral em avaliações semanais. Vinte e nove pacientes se submeteram a radioterapia sem laser e 31 foram submetidos a radioterapia e laser com dose diária de 2 joules/cm² em pontos pré-determinados da mucosa oral e glândulas parótida e submandibular. RESULTADOS: No grupo submetido a radioterapia e laser, a incidência de mucosite (p < 0,001) e dor (p < 0,016) foram significativamente menores e o volume salivar se manteve maior (p < 0,001) durante e após o tratamento. CONCLUSAO: Os pacientes submetidos à associação de radioterapia e laser tiveram menor incidência de xerostomia, mucosite oral e dor quando comparados ao grupo de radioterapia sem laser, com resultados com significância estatística.