title: [Long-term efficacy of submandibular gland transfer for prevention of xerostomia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term efficacy of submandibular gland transfer for prevention of xerostomia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were randomly divided into study group of 32 patients and control group of 33 patents. The submandibular gland was transferred to submental region on 32 cases with nasopharyngeal carcinoma before receiving conventional radiotherapy and a block was used to cover the submental region. Before radiotherapy, two groups of submandibular gland function was detected by imaging of the submandibular gland. At 60 months after radiotherapy, submandibular gland function was detected by 99mTc radionuclide scanning, the questionnaire about the degree of xerostomia was investigated respectively. Five-year survival rate was counted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After following up for 60 months, submandibular gland uptake and secretion function in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group, there was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01) respectively. The incidence of moderate or severe xerostomia in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (15.4% vs 76.9%, P < 0.01). Five-year survival rate of the study group and control group was 81.3% and 78.8% respectively, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term efficacy of submandibular gland transfer for prevention of xerostomia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma was well. It could improve the quality of life in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy, and did not affect the long-term efficacy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck, Ganzhou Tumor Hospital, Ganzhou 341000, China. xmzhang019@126.com
authors.forename: Xiangmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lijiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiuhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fufu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Guoxing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*