Xerostomia after radiotherapy in the head & neck area: long-term observations.
To investigate the development of xerostomia more than 5 years after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, a prospective longitudinal study was done. A xerostomia questionnaire was answered by 42 patients 41 and 90 months after radiotherapy: xerostomia at rest did not change significantly over time whereas the difficulties with speaking improved and the difficulties with eating worsened. Subjective xerostomia does not reach a steady state even more than 5 years after radiotherapy.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Freiburg, Germany.
Marc-Benjamin
MB
Messmer
Andreas
A
Thomsen
Simon
S
Kirste
Gerhild
G
Becker
Felix
F
Momm
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology*