OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether saliva production reflects the parotid volume during the course of radiation therapy (RT) in patients with head-and-neck cancer. METHODS: Twenty patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinomas, who were treated with preoperative chemo-RT, underwent morphological assessment with CT or MRI and functional assessment with the Saxon test. For the Saxon test, saliva production was measured by weighing a gauze pad before and 2 min after chewing without swallowing; the low-normal value is 2 g. Saliva production and parotid volumes before and 2 weeks after RT were compared with the paired t-test, the Spearman rank correlation test and the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: After 30 Gy irradiation, mean saliva production was decreased from 4.2 to 1.0 g (P < 0.01); the reduction in saliva production ranged from 1.7 to 5.4 g (mean 3.2 g). The mean parotid volume was decreased from 68.2 to 47.9 cm(3) (P < 0.01); the post-RT:pre-RT parotid volume ratio ranged from 54% to 85% (mean 71%). Although the initial parotid ;volume was correlated with initial saliva production (r = 0.47, P = 0.04), no significant correlation was noted after RT (r = 0.08, P = 0.71), and there were considerable individual variations. The parotid volume ratio was inversely correlated with the saliva-reduction amount (r = - 0.79, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between decreased parotid gland volume and decreased saliva production in patients with head-and-neck cancer undergoing RT. Parotid volume reduction may predict parotid gland function.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether saliva production reflects the parotid volume during the course of radiation therapy (RT) in patients with head-and-neck cancer. METHODS: Twenty patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinomas, who were treated with preoperative chemo-RT, underwent morphological assessment with CT or MRI and functional assessment with the Saxon test. For the Saxon test, saliva production was measured by weighing a gauze pad before and 2 min after chewing without swallowing; the low-normal value is 2 g. Saliva production and parotid volumes before and 2 weeks after RT were compared with the paired t-test, the Spearman rank correlation test and the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: After 30 Gy irradiation, mean saliva production was decreased from 4.2 to 1.0 g (P < 0.01); the reduction in saliva production ranged from 1.7 to 5.4 g (mean 3.2 g). The mean parotid volume was decreased from 68.2 to 47.9 cm(3) (P < 0.01); the post-RT:pre-RT parotid volume ratio ranged from 54% to 85% (mean 71%). Although the initial parotid ;volume was correlated with initial saliva production (r = 0.47, P = 0.04), no significant correlation was noted after RT (r = 0.08, P = 0.71), and there were considerable individual variations. The parotid volume ratio was inversely correlated with the saliva-reduction amount (r = - 0.79, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between decreased parotid gland volume and decreased saliva production in patients with head-and-neck cancer undergoing RT. Parotid volume reduction may predict parotid gland function.
Authors: Xiaofeng Yang; Ning Wu; Guanghui Cheng; Zhengyang Zhou; David S Yu; Jonathan J Beitler; Walter J Curran; Tian Liu Journal: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys Date: 2014-10-13 Impact factor: 7.038
Authors: Nam P Nguyen; Paul Vos; Vincent Vinh-Hung; Misty Ceizyk; Lexie Smith-Raymond; Michelle Stevie; Benjamin Slane; Alexander Chi; Anand Desai; Shane P Krafft; Siyoung Jang; Russ Hamilton; Ulf Karlsson; Dave Abraham Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2012-05-11 Impact factor: 4.430