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Recent advances in the prevention and treatment of post-radiotherapy xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer
, 1
Affiliations- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rzeszów, Poland
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Abstract
Xerostomia or feeling of dry mouth is the most common (80%) of all complications of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Besides well-known artificial saliva and agents and therapies stimulating saliva production and salivary gland regeneration, new methods comprise the use of vitamins C and E, low-level laser therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and thyme honey. Recently, transplantation of the mesenchymal stem cells was reported to be successful, and these may be, together with gene-transfer therapy the future therapies of xerostomia after salivary gland irradiation.
Abstract
Xerostomia or feeling of dry mouth is the most common (80%) of all complications of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Besides well-known artificial saliva and agents and therapies stimulating saliva production and salivary gland regeneration, new methods comprise the use of vitamins C and E, low-level laser therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and thyme honey. Recently, transplantation of the mesenchymal stem cells was reported to be successful, and these may be, together with gene-transfer therapy the future therapies of xerostomia after salivary gland irradiation.
Keywords
dry mouth, xerostomia, post-radiotherapy complications, head and neck cancer, artificial saliva
About this articleTitle
Recent advances in the prevention and treatment of post-radiotherapy xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer
Journal
Palliative Medicine in Practice
Issue
Article type
Review paper
Pages
39-47
Published online
2022-09-29
Page views
2597
Article views/downloads
476
DOI
Bibliographic record
Palliat Med Pract 2023;17(1):39-47.
Keywords
dry mouth
xerostomia
post-radiotherapy complications
head and neck cancer
artificial saliva
Authors
Agnieszka Solarska
Zbigniew Żylicz
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