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.
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.
Veerasarn
Vutisiri
V
Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. vutisiri@hotmail.com
Phromratanapongse
Pramook
P
Suntornpong
Nan
N
Lorvidhaya
Vicharn
V
Sukthomya
Vimol
V
Chitapanarux
Imjai
I
Tesavibul
Chanawat
C
Swangsilpa
Thiti
T
Khorprasert
Cholakiet
C
Shotelersuk
Kanjana
K
Kongthanarat
Yongyut
Y
Panichevaluk
Apichart
A
Chiewvit
Sunanta
S
Pusuwan
Pawana
P
Aekmahachai
Monreudee
M
Ratchadara
Samart
S
Sirilipoche
Sasitorn
S
Saengsuda
Yuttana
Y
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
D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D004999:Amifostine