title: Salivary Amylase as a Marker of Salivary Gland Function in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy for Oral Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary amylase in patients with primary oral cancer undergoing radiotherapy as the main modality of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on ten histologically proven cases of oral cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Stimulated whole saliva was collected at three stages of radiotherapy-0, 3, and 6 weeks. Salivary amylase was estimated using Henry-Chiamori method and comparison was made with appropriate age- and gender-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Salivary amylase levels showed significant decrease in healthy subjects when compared to oral cancer patients (P < 0.001). The latter group also showed changing trend with initial decrease from 0 to 3 weeks followed by increase from 3 to 6 weeks following radiotherapy (P < 0.0528).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The trend in changes in the levels of salivary amylase could be used as a surrogate marker of salivary gland function in patients with oral cancer undergoing radiotherapy as primary treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University, Kedah, Malaysia.
authors.forename: V K Vaishnavi
authors.initials: VKV
authors.lastname: Vedam
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Manipal University, Mangalore, India.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Manipal University, Mangalore, India.
authors.forename: Srikant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University, Kedah, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sivadas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganapathy
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D000681:Amylases
keywords: Henry-Chiamori method; oral cancer; salivary amylase