Evaluation of Radiation-induced Xerostomia in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas
<p><strong>Background and aims.</strong> 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. </p&g...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Book |
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Tabriz University of Medical Sciences,
2007-08-01T00:00:00Z.
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| Summary: | <p><strong>Background and aims.</strong> 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. </p><p><strong>Materials and methods.</strong> 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. </p><p><strong>Results.</strong> 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). </p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Conventional radiotherapy results in severe xerostomia in 3 weeks in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Age and sex do not influence radiotherapy-induced xerostomia.</p> |
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| Item Description: | 2008-210X 2008-2118 |