Abstract
Background and aims. Salivary glands are extremely susceptible to radiation injuries. The aim of this
study was to evaluate radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, referring to
Tabriz Imam Khomeini Hospital in 2005-2006.
Materials and methods. Thirty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, who received conventional
radiotherapy, were included in the present study. The patients’ unstimulated saliva samples were collected at
three intervals, i.e. before treatment, 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment and at the end of treatment by
spitting, and measured with a graduated pipette.
Results. The differences in the mean values of the patients’ salivary flow rates at three afore-mentioned
intervals were statistically significant (p<0.001). Two-by-two comparison of the mean values of salivary
flow rates of all the patients and of males and females, carried out separately, demonstrated statistically significant
differences (p<0.0025). However, there were no statistically significant differences between males
and females before treatment (p = 0.723), 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment (p = 0.724) and at the end
of treatment (p = 0.595). There were no statistically significant relationships between age and a decrease in
salivary flow rate in the total sample (p = 0.76, r = -0.057), in males (p = 0.96, r = 0.011) and in females (p =
0.539, r = -0.208).
Conclusion. Conventional radiotherapy results in severe xerostomia in 3 weeks in patients with nasopharyngeal
carcinomas. Age and sex do not influence radiotherapy-induced xerostomia.