Sensitivity of salivary glands to radiation: from animal models to therapies.
Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer causes significant secondary side-effects in normal salivary glands, resulting in diminished quality of life for these individuals. Salivary glands are exquisitely sensitive to radiation and display acute and chronic responses to radiotherapy. This review will discuss clinical implications of radiosensitivity in normal salivary glands, compare animal models used to investigate radiation-induced salivary gland damage, address therapeutic advances, and project future directions in the field.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, 1177 E 4th St., Shantz 421,PO Box 210038, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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Grundmann
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Mitchell
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Limesand
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects
D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents