title: [Assessment of radiation injuries to the salivary glands after treatment of head and neck cancers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the quality of life, measured in LENT-SOMA and DISCHE scale, of patients with xerostomia as late irradiation injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  45 head and neck cancer patients were radically irradiated receiving doses from 48 Gy to 76.8 Gy (mean: 65.1 Gy) on PTV. Patients received doses from 48 to 76 Gy on salivary gland (mean: 63.8 Gy, SD: 8). The irradiation injury of the oral cavity was assessed using DISCHE scale at the end of radiotherapy and late radiation sequels of salivary gland was assessed in 6 and 7 month after radiotherapy using DISCHE and LENT-SOMA scale. The average follow-up for this group of patients was 8 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients with 6 and more points of acute reactions assessed in DISCHE scale at the end of radiotherapy have had xerostomia in follow-up period. Results measured by LENT-SOMA scale was similar to DISCHE scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dose escalation of radiotherapy increases number of xerostomia as late irradiation injury. Both scales (LENT-SOMA and DISCHE) are similar in qualifying and quantifying of salivary gland radiation injury. Minimal therapeutic dosage prescribed on salivary gland after which irradiation injury occurred was 63 Gy.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Radioterapii, Centrum Onkologii--Instytut im. M.. Skłodowskiej-Curie, Oddział w Gliwicach.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miszczyk
authors.forename: Bogusław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maciejewski
mesh_terms: D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012472:Salivation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control