title: Effect of Amifostine to prevent radiotherapy-induced acute and late toxicity in head and neck cancer patients who had normal or mild impaired salivary gland function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amifostine has a potential role for salivary gland protection in head and neck cancer patients who had radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven head and neck cancer patients were randomized to receive radiotherapy or radiotherapy plus Amifostine. The efficacy of the treatment was determined by a questionnaire evaluating dryness of mouth and the oral comfort, the RTOG/EORTC acute/late radiation morbidity scoring criteria, collection of the whole saliva and the 99mTc-pertecnetate scintigraphy of the salivary glands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amifostine significantly reduced the mean questionnaire scores from 6.49 to 3.73, the incidence of grade > or = 2 mucositis from 75% to 36% and acute xerostomia from 82% to 39%. The salivary gland function returned to normal at a rate of 36.3% in the Amifostine group versus 9.1% in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amifostine is effective in reducing the incidence and severity of acute mucositis, acute and late xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. vutisiri@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vutisiri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Veerasarn
authors.forename: Pramook
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phromratanapongse
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suntornpong
authors.forename: Vicharn
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorvidhaya
authors.forename: Vimol
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sukthomya
authors.forename: Imjai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chitapanarux
authors.forename: Chanawat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tesavibul
authors.forename: Thiti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Swangsilpa
authors.forename: Cholakiet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Khorprasert
authors.forename: Kanjana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shotelersuk
authors.forename: Yongyut
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kongthanarat
authors.forename: Apichart
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panichevaluk
authors.forename: Sunanta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiewvit
authors.forename: Pawana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pusuwan
authors.forename: Monreudee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aekmahachai
authors.forename: Samart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ratchadara
authors.forename: Sasitorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirilipoche
authors.forename: Yuttana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saengsuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004999:Amifostine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D004999:Amifostine