Xerostomia: aetiology and management in cancer patients

Holmes, Susan

doi:10.1007/s005200050176

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…It GRAPH 1 -Salivary flow averages (ml/min) in group I (three collections) and group II (control). also results in alterations in the oral microbiota as well as in an increase of the risk for the development of dental caries 2,9,10,12 . Patients submitted to radiotherapy present reduction of salivary flow in the first weeks of treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of salivary flow in patients during head and neck radiotherapy

Bonan

Pires

Lopes

et al. 2003

Pesqui. Odontol. Bras.

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Radiotherapy is frequently employed for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Among the side effects, xerostomia is one of the most important. With the objective of evaluating the role of radiotherapy in salivary flow, we performed three salivary sample collections: at the beginning of, during, and immediately after radiotherapy. The results showed that the salivary flow values of the first collection were very similar to those of the control group. However, during treatment, there was a significant decrease of the salivary flow (p = 0.0008), which continued low immediately after radiotherapy (p = 0.0009). Our study showed that radiotherapy leads to an important reduction of salivary flow during and after radiotherapy. DESCRIPTORS: Radiotherapy; Xerostomia; Squamous cell carcinoma. RESUMO:A radioterapia é um tratamento comumente empregado em pacientes portadores de carcinomas espinocelulares em cabeça e pescoço. Entre os efeitos colaterais locais, a xerostomia é um dos mais importantes. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da radioterapia sobre o fluxo salivar, foram feitas 3 coletas salivares: no início, em um período intermediário e posteriormente ao tratamento radioterápico. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram médias de fluxo salivar semelhantes entre a coleta inicial e o grupo controle. Com o decorrer da radioterapia, houve diminuição significativa do fluxo salivar na coleta intermediária (p = 0,0008), que se manteve após o término da radioterapia (p = 0,0009). Nosso estudo enfatiza que há redução significativa do fluxo salivar durante e após a radioterapia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a consequence, different grades of dermatitis and mucositis, bone and teeth alterations are observed. In salivary glands, atrophy and acinar degeneration caused by radiotherapy commonly result in a decreased saliva production, which is a frequent complaint of head and neck irradiated patients 6,9 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of salivary flow in patients during head and neck radiotherapy

Bonan

Pires

Lopes

et al. 2003

Pesqui. Odontol. Bras.

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“…While not specific for dry mouth, bicarbonate gargles (advised by physicians on 4 occasions) are recommended to help keep the mouth clean and lessen the risk of infections and dental caries. Artificial saliva sprays (advised by physicians on 4 occasions) appear to offer variable effectiveness [5,6,9,[12][13][14].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Xerostomia can affect multiple aspects of oral function, including contributing to mouth pain and oral infections [3,[5][6][7][8]. It appears that this symptom is frequently overlooked or neglected at the time of assessment for other commonly experienced symptoms such as pain, nausea and/or vomiting, and dyspnea [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of mouth pain and dryness in patients with advanced cancer

Oneschuk¹,

Hanson²,

Bruera

2000

Supportive Care in Cancer

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An 11-item face-to-face survey was conducted in 99 consecutive patients with advanced cancer to determine the prevalence, intensity, reporting and treatment, presumed cause(s), and importance of mouth pain and dryness. Sixteen of the 99 patients (16%) reported experiencing mouth pain at a mean intensity corresponding to 5.5 +/- SD 2.21 on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain) numerical scale, and 88 (88%) patients reported dry mouth at a mean intensity corresponding to 6.2 +/- SD 2.21. Nine (56%) of the 16 patients with mouth pain and 39 (44%) of the 88 patients with mouth dryness reported these symptoms to their attending physician(s). Sixty-nine percent (27/39) of patients who reported having a dry mouth were advised by their physician(s) to pursue one or more treatments. The most common treatments recommended (and frequencies) were drinking water/taking sips of fluid (13), gargling with bicarbonate mouthwash (4), using an artificial saliva spray (4), and using an oral fungal suspension for thrush (4). The most common findings on oral examination included: possible thrush (53 patients), upper and lower dentures (33 patients), and multiple dental restorations (23 patients). The causes most frequently assumed to be responsible were ill-fitting dentures for mouth pain, and medications and possible oral fungal infections for mouth dryness. The mean values given for the importance of the symptoms of mouth pain and dryness relative to other symptoms or problems experienced by the patients were 4.4 +/- SD 1.84 and 3.6 +/- SD 1.67, respectively, on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (not important) to 7 (great importance). Mouth dryness was more frequently reported than mouth pain. The mean rating for the intensity of mouth pain was higher than that for mouth dryness, although both were of moderate importance to patients relative to other symptoms or problems experienced at the time. Patients tended to underreport mouth pain and dryness, and physicians tended to address such complaints inadequately.

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“…Many of these complications are very painful conditions, such as ulcers and atrophy, and troublesome, such as oedema, which can prevent people from eating, drinking, smiling, talking and kissing and may therefore impact on their abilities and daily functioning. Another very common oral complication is xerostomia [10]. This has implications not only for the ability to swallow and communicate verbally but also for the sense of taste and for eating, drinking and communication, which are all very important daily activities.…”

Section: Kerstin öHrnmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of oral sequelae in health-related quality of life of cancer patients

Öhrn

2002

Support Care Cancer

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Patients undergoing treatment for cancer often develop oral complications. These complications have an influence on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Patient reports on HRQOL have been found to follow the same pattern as reports of experiencing oral discomfort. HRQOL should be incorporated as an outcome variable into the evaluation of the role of oral hygiene and oral care for patients with cancer, and oral status should also be incorporated as a variable when evaluating care for patients with cancer.

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Xerostomia: aetiology and management in cancer patients

Cited by 23 publications

References 42 publications

Evaluation of salivary flow in patients during head and neck radiotherapy

Evaluation of salivary flow in patients during head and neck radiotherapy

A survey of mouth pain and dryness in patients with advanced cancer

The role of oral sequelae in health-related quality of life of cancer patients

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