View clinical trials related to Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced.
Filter by:Radiation therapy of the head and neck cancer patients causes late oral radiation complications such as xerostomia (dry mouth) or mucosal atrophy. Currently, methods such as hyperbaric oxygen are used to treat these complications; however, there are no quantifiable means of assessing the outcome of these methods. At present, subjective methods such as superficial examination of the oral cavity are used, yet complications are known to mostly start in the subsurface layers. In this feasibility study, we apply an imaging technique called optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a means of providing objective and quantifiable images of the subsurface micro-structural and micro-vascular changes of oral tissue. Depth-resolved, micrometer-resolution OCT images provide information on changes associated with late radiation complications.
The aim of this report was to evaluate the unstimulated whole saliva flow in patients with head and neck cancers during and after the exclusive radiotherapy with an association of lauryl-diethylene-glycol-ether sodium sulfate and calcium hydroxide (Hct20). This study was held at the buccal cancer center of UNESP and involved thirty one patients (n = 31) divided into two groups: Group 1 had seventeen patients (n = 17) submitted to fractioned radiation treatment in the head and neck region at the total dose of 7.000 cGy and had Hct20 during the treatment. Group 2 with fourteen patients (n = 14) started with the use of Hct20 after the end of radiotherapy. A weekly and measured collection of the index of the total non stimulated saliva flow was done on the patients of both groups. The values that were obtained were analyzed statistically through the Bartlett test, the Friedman test and the Wilcox test, to seek an evaluation of effectiveness of the medication on the prevention of the intense drop of the salivary flow during the radiotherapy and do avoid the xerostomia during the post-radiotherapeutic period. The patients from group 1 at the end of the radiotherapy kept the base index of the total non stimulated salivary flow, the ones from group 2 that used the medication association after the radiotherapy had a great improvement of total non stimulated salivary flow and the usage of the Hct20 had a better result on the index of salivary flow during the radiotherapy.