Abstract
Objectives:Radiation induced side effects in head and neck cancers have life changing impact after treatment. We conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine tea in these patients. Methods: A randomized double-blinded pilot study was performed in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The study group received gargles of tea made from liquorice root, hawthorn fruit and Chinese plum. The quality of life was evaluated using the University of Washington Quality of life questionnaire Version 4 (UW-QOL). Results:The intervention group showed marginally significant outcome (p=0.075) in improved saliva production and reduced anxiety. Bitter taste was one of the major reasons for not continuing the trial. Conclusions:The proposed tea seems to provide a promising impact on the quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after adjuvant or primary radiotherapy. However, taste is a major concern and has to be adjusted to reduce patients´ dropout rate. Future trial with large samples are required to declare significant benefits.
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