Xerostomia: a day and night difference

Radiother Oncol. 2012 Aug;104(2):219-23. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2012.06.004. Epub 2012 Jul 17.

Abstract

Purpose: To compare patient-reported xerostomia during daytime and during nighttime with objectively measured parotid and submandibular gland function in a cohort of head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with RT.

Materials and methods: A cohort of 138 HNC patients underwent objective measurements of parotid (PF) and submandibular (SMF) gland function and completed a xerostomia questionnaire (XQ) before RT, at 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year after RT. No attempt was made to spare the submandibular gland(s). The XQ contained specific questions concerning the sensation of dry mouth during day- (XD) and nighttime (XN), scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Patients with no or mild (grade 1-3) xerostomia and patients with more severe (grade 4-5) complaints were grouped together.

Results: Before RT, no association existed between dry mouth complaints and PF or SMF. At 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year after RT; 37%, 51% and 36% had grade 4-5 XD and 65%, 64% and 56% had grade 4-5 XN, respectively. Patients with grade 4-5 XD and XN had significantly worse SMF at all time points after RT compared to patients with grade 1-3 XD and XN, while PF was significantly worse only at 6 weeks after RT. In multivariate analyses, SMF was consistently the most important factor related to XN after treatment. PF significantly influenced XD at 6 weeks and 1 year after RT.

Conclusions: Differentiating between complaints during day- and nighttime in xerostomia research is necessary. Dry mouth at night is a frequent problem after (parotid-sparing) RT for HNC and is explained by submandibular gland dysfunction. Sparing of the contralateral submandibular gland, in addition to parotid gland sparing, may result in improved patient-reported xerostomia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Circadian Rhythm*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Parotid Gland / radiation effects
  • Pilocarpine / therapeutic use
  • Quality of Life
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / adverse effects*
  • Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / methods
  • Risk Assessment
  • Salivation / radiation effects*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Xerostomia / drug therapy
  • Xerostomia / etiology*
  • Xerostomia / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Pilocarpine