title: Serum and salivary IgG and IgA response to radiation therapy.
abstract: Patients undergoing radiotherapy for malignant tumors of the head and neck invariably develop extensive oral and dental diseases particularly when the major salivary glands are within the radiation fields. Unless the patient receives a strict oral hygiene home care and the teeth are protected by topical application of fluoride gel, caries or gingival disease onset inevitably follows radiation induced xerostomia is. The importance of saliva as a controlling factor in the development of oral diseases is underscored by the dramatic increase in dental decay and gingival diseases that inevitably follows the surgical extirpation of the major salivary glands in animals and the onset of xerostomia in man.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: el-Din
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: el-Refai
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: el-Kafrawi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: el-Badawi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012472:Salivation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G