Radiation-induced xerostomia in cancer patients. Effect on salivary and serum electrolytes

✍ Scribed by Samuel Dreizen; Lee R. Brown; Sandra Handler; Barnet M. Levy

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1976
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 342 KB
• Volume: 38
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(197607)38:1<273::aid-cncr2820380141>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

Saliva and serum electrolyte concentrations were monitored in 30 patients given a course of xerostomia-producing cancer radiotherapy. The mean flow r a t e of stimulated whole saliva decreased 83.3% during a 6-week treatment period. The striking reduction in saliva o u t p u t was accompanied by significant increases in saliva Na+, C1-, Cat+, Mg" and Prot.-concentrations and by a decrease i n saliva HCO; content. The xerostomic saliva was more concentrated and had a greater salinity t h a n t h e pretreatment saliva in each instance. In contrast, none of t h e serum electrolytes measured was significantly altered by t h e subtotal salivary shutdown.