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The effect of head and neck cancer treatment on whole salivary flow
Author(s) -
Marunick Mark T.,
Seyedsadr Mahmoud,
Ahmad Kurshid,
Klein Barbara
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930480203
Subject(s) - medicine , head and neck cancer , head and neck , salivary gland , head (geology) , cancer , surgery , geomorphology , geology
The effects of multimodality therapy for head and neck cancer on whole salivary flow were evaluated. Eighteen subjects with head and neck cancer were studied. Resting and stimulated whole salivary flow rates were recorded, pretreatment, after individual modality therapy, and post‐treatment. Twenty‐four subjects with no history of head and neck cancer matched for age, and sex distribution, served as controls. Primary site, stage, major salivary glands resected, radiation fields, and dose to major salivary glands are reported. The average salivary flow rates for 18 subjects following treatment was reduced 83% for resting and 86% for stimulated saliva from pretreatment levels. The null hypothesis that the overall resting and stimulated whole salivary flow rates are unaffected by treatment (surgery and radiation) of the head and neck cancer was rejected ( P values at 0.05 level of significance). Stage and location of primary, total dose delivered to and volume of gland exposure are important factors when predicting xerostomia following multimodality therapy.