title: The changes in irradiated salivary gland function of patients with head and neck tumors treated with radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate and analyze changes in irradiated salivary gland function of patients with head and neck tumors treated with radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with head and neck tumors, who received 40-70 Gy of irradiation to all major salivary glands, were analyzed. The weights of saliva secreted for 10 minutes at rest, and for 5 minutes with vitamin C stimulation, were measured. The salivary gland function was defined by the weight of saliva.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With vitamin C stimulation, the weight of saliva in patients whose doses were < or =50 Gy, was significantly higher than that of patients whose doses were > or = 58 Gy (2.48 +/- 0.33 g vs. 0.73 +/- 0.18 g, P = 0.0003). When doses administered to salivary glands were < or =50 Gy, the stimulated saliva secretion recovered over time, after irradiation. However, when the doses of irradiation were > or = 58 Gy, there was no recovery in saliva secretion even after a few years. Multiple regression analysis showed that age and chemotherapy may not affect salivary gland function even years after radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When salivary glands were irradiated with doses < or =50 Gy, gradual recovery of salivary gland function was observed over time, whereas there was no significant recovery when the irradiation dose was >58 Gy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. someya@sapmed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Someya
authors.forename: Koh-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Hisayasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagakura
authors.forename: Kensei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oouchi
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hareyama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012463:Saliva / Q000528:radiation effects; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid