These results show that patients subjected to RIT have more difficulty in draining saliva, mainly from the parotid glands, which is associated with clinical dysphagia in this subset of patients.

Although QOL after treatment of thyroid cancer can be considered good for most patients, those submitted to RIT at doses higher than 150 mCi are at risk for poor QOL and, therefore, may need more intensive follow-up and treatment.

Avascular bone necrosis is a serious oral side-effect of cancer chemotherapy, particularly in patients using biphosphonates, and antibiotic therapy and surgical debridation were not able to promote complete response in most cases.

Xerost omia complaint is very commonly associated to radioactive iodine therapy. Alternatives to treat this morbidity can offer better quality of life to patients with thyroid cancer submitted to adjuvant iodine therapy.Aim: to report on the experience with pilocarpine on the treatment of xerostomia in thyroid cancer patients submitted to adjuvant radioactive iodine therapy (RIT). Materials and methods:The five patients who met the inclusion criteria received 5mg of pilocarpine, 3 tid for one week. Side effects of the drug and subjective response to xerostomia complaints after treatment were evaluated.Design: it is a prospective, non-randomized study.Results: Sudoresis was the most frequent side effect of pilocarpine use, followed by fatigue and headache. Two patients reported relief of xerostomia using pilocarpine, but only one patient was able to tolerate the side effects. Conclusions:Pilocarpine seems to relieve xerostomia complaints in thyroid cancer patients because it is able to stimulate salivary flow, but the observed side effects made the patients refuse long-term therapy continuation. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2010;76(5):659-62. ORIGINAL ARTICLE BJORL