Xerostomia and hypofunction of the salivary glands in cancer therapy

Siri Beier Jensen; Anne Marie Pedersen; Jesper Reibel; Birgitte Nauntofte

doi:10.1007/s00520-002-0407-7

Xerostomia and hypofunction of the salivary glands in cancer therapy

Support Care Cancer. 2003 Apr;11(4):207-25. doi: 10.1007/s00520-002-0407-7. Epub 2002 Nov 23.

Authors

Siri Beier Jensen¹, Anne Marie Pedersen, Jesper Reibel, Birgitte Nauntofte

Affiliation

¹ Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Allé 20, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.

PMID: 12673459
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-002-0407-7

Abstract

This review presents data from the literature on oral adverse reactions from the perspectives of subjective feelings of dry mouth (xerostomia) and objective measures of salivary gland hypofunction during and after cancer therapy. Special emphasis is paid to the mechanisms behind xerostomia, impaired saliva secretion and changes in the composition of saliva and to how these relate to radiation therapy involving the salivary glands and to systemic chemotherapy. The oral complications that relate to such iatrogenic changes in salivary gland function are also discussed.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacokinetics
Electrolytes / radiation effects
Humans
Mouth Diseases / etiology
Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
Radiotherapy / adverse effects*
Saliva / drug effects
Saliva / radiation effects
Salivary Glands / drug effects
Salivary Glands / physiology
Salivary Glands / radiation effects
Salivary Proteins and Peptides / drug effects
Salivary Proteins and Peptides / radiation effects
Time
Xerostomia / etiology*
Xerostomia / physiopathology
Xerostomia / prevention & control

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents
Electrolytes
Salivary Proteins and Peptides