Open AccessEvaluation of alteration in oral microbial flora pre- and postradiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Ayanambakkam Hemasundar Harini Priya,
. Rajmohan,
Hari Priya Arun Kumar,
Shakthi Akash Raj,
Sai Archana,
VV Bharathwaj
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of pharmacy and bioallied sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.268
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 0976-4879
pISSN - 0975-7406
DOI - 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_38_20
Subject(s) - saliva , head and neck cancer , medicine , radiation therapy , oral microbiology , flora (microbiology) , head and neck , oral cavity , cancer , streptococcus mutans , physiology , dentistry , surgery , biology , bacteria , genetics
For decades now, head and neck cancer (HNC) remains to be one of the deadliest; per se the treatment for the same has been evolving for the past years. Radiation therapy (RT) has been one among the various treatment modalities adopted to treat HNC. The fact that RT can affect the quality of life in these patients cannot be denied. In patients with HNC, these can bring about a wide array of lesions in oral cavity and its associated structures as these areas are invariably affected due to exposure to radiation as such. These include alteration in salivary parameters, changes in microbial flora, and occurrence of radiation caries.