title: Submandibular gland transfer for the prevention of postradiation xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Submandibular gland transfer has been widely used to prevent postradiation xerostomia in head-and-neck cancers. However, there are still some controversies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six databases were searched, data extraction was performed and the risk of bias was assessed by 2 reviewers independently. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager, version 5.2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7 trials (12 articles) and 369 participants were included.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present clinical evidence suggests that submandibular gland transfer might be highly effective to prevent postradiation xerostomia in head-and-neck cancers without serious adverse events. However, more randomized controlled trials are still needed to confirm this conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.
authors.forename: Fanglong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shengxin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Chunjie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Longjiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qinghong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000637:transplantation*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult