Abstract
IntroductionThe procedure used to evaluate salivary flow rate is called sialometry. It can be performed through several techniques, but none appears to be really efficient for post-radiotherapy patients. ObjectiveTo adequate sialometry tests for head and neck cancer patients submitted to radiotherapy. Methods22 xerostomic patients post-radiotherapy (total radiation dose ranging from 60 to 70Gy) were included in this study. Ten patients were evaluated using sialometries originally proposed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and twelve were assessed by our modified methods. Unstimulated and stimulated sialometries were performed and the results were classified according a grading scale and compared between both groups. ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference between the salivary evaluations of both groups (p=0.4487 and p=0.5615). Also, most of these rates were classified as very low and low. ConclusionThis novel method seems to be suitable for patients submitted to radiotherapy.
Highlights
The treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) is based on three therapeutic modalities: radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy, and surgery.[1]
Intensity and extent of the radiation-induced effects depends mainly on factors related to treatment such as total radiation dose, radiation dose per fraction, irradiated volume, dose distribution in tissue volume, association with chemotherapy,[2,6] and its duration.[7]
Sialometries are performed by drainage, expectoration, or weighing cotton wool balls soaked with saliva
Summary
The treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) is based on three therapeutic modalities: radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy, and surgery.[1]. Regarding HNC treatment, the major salivary glands often receive significant radiation doses.[8] the cytotoxic mechanisms of the radiation in salivary tissue are still not elucidated,[7,9] atrophy and acinar degeneration are histological findings often encountered.[10,11] As consequences, the subjective perception of dry mouth (or xerostomia) and the objective reduction in salivary flow rate (SFR) (or hyposalivation) are common,[7,12] dose-dependent, irreversible complications.[9,13] they are almost always accompanied by changes in the salivary characteristics such as pH values, immunoglobulin levels, electrolyte balance, protein concentrations, viscosity, and colour.[8,10,12]
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