Author/Editor		Rode, Mirela; Šmid, Lojze; Budihna, Marjan; Šoba, Erika; Rode, Matjaž; Gašperšič, Dominik
Title		The effect of pilocarpine and biperiden on salivary secretion during and after radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients
Type		članek
Source		Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
Vol. and No.		Letnik 45, št. 2
Publication year		1999
Volume		str. 373-8
Language		eng
Abstract		PURPOSE: The influence of parasympathicomimetic pilocarpine and anticholinergic biperiden on salivation in patients irradiated for malignant tumors of the head and neck region was assessed in a prospectively designed clinical study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sixty-nine patients, irradiated for head and neck cancer with salivary glands included in the irradiation fields, were randomly assigned into three groups (A, B, and C). Group A consisted of patients receiving pilocarpine, group B of those who were receiving biperiden during radiotherapy and pilocarpine for 6 weeks after its completion, while group C comprised patients not receiving any xerostomy prevention therapy during or after radiotherapy. The quantity of secreted unstimulated saliva was measured before the beginning of radiotherapy, after 30 Gy of irradiation, on completed irradiation, and 3, 6, and 12 months after completion of radiotherapy. RESULTS: Saliva secretion has been found to be the least affected by irradiation treatment in the group of patients receiving biperiden throughout the course of radiotherapy. Six months after completed irradiation, the differences in the quantity of secreted saliva between groups C and B as well as between groups A and B were statistically significant (P = 0.002 and 0.05 respectively). In patients receiving pilocarpine during radiotherapy, and those in the control group, further decrease in saliva secretion was observed. One year after completed therapy, the quantity of secreted saliva could only be measured in the patients receiving biperiden during radiotherapy: it amounted to 16% of the average quantity of saliva secreted before the beginning of irradiation. CONCLUSION: It seems that the inhibition of saliva production during irradiation treatment and the stimulation after completed radiotherapy may contribute to the preservation of salivary gland function after therapy.
Descriptors		PARASYMPATHOLYTICS PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS PILOCARPINE SALIVATION BIPERIDEN HEAD AND NECK NEOPLASMS ADULT AGED FOLLOW-UP STUDIES MIDDLE AGE SALIVA SALIVARY GLANDS