Relationship between Salivary Amylase and Xerostomia in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer: A Prospective Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose. A single-institution prospective pilot study was conducted to the assess correlation between salivary amylase and xerostomia in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and materials. Serum saliva amylase, clinician-reported xerostomia (using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events), and patient-reported xerostomia (using 8-item self-reported xerostomia-specific questionnaire) were prospectively collected at baseline, during treatment and thereafter. Correlations between variables were assessed by correlation matrices. Results. Twelve patients with locally advanced HNSCC formed the cohort. Eighty-three percent were male, 75% were smokers, 100% had clinical positive lymph nodes at diagnosis, and 42% received induction chemotherapy. All patients received IMRT with concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy. No grade ≥4 xerostomia was observed. Severe (G3) acute and late xerostomia occurred in five cases (41.7%) and two cases (16.7%), respectively. Patient-reported xerostomia scores were highly correlated with the clinician-reported scores (ρ = 0.73). A significant correlation was recorded between the concentration of amylase and the acute (ρ = −0.70) and late (ρ = −0.80) xerostomia. Conclusion. Preliminary results are encouraging. Prospective clinical trials are needed to define the value of salivary amylase in the management of HNSCC tumors.

Efficacy of Office-Based Salivary Ductal Steroid Irrigation for Managing Post-Irradiation Xerostomia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study

“…The previous literature has shown that serum amylase may be capable of reflecting acute or chronic salivary dysfunction in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy [29,30]. While serum amylase comprises salivary and pancreatic amylase with near-equal proportions [31], measurements of the concentration of amylase directly from saliva seems to be able to represent the salivary gland function without the interference of pancreatic lesions.…”

Investigation of Hydrocolloid Plant Polysaccharides as Potential Candidates to Mimic the Functions of MUC5B in Saliva

“…While some natural hydrocolloids contain high degrees of starch, which is composed of low-molecular-weight sugars, such as glucose, maltose, or maltotriose, and is hydrolyzed by α-amylase in saliva, this effect is less pronounced in patients suffering from xerostomia. Studies report not only that the lack of saliva reduces food moistening and bolus formulation but also that the damage of serous salivary cells further results in significantly less α-amylase production [31]. Consequently, polysaccharides from plant extracts could be potential candidates for saliva substitution, without being subject to hydrolyses.…”

Надання Стоматологічних Послуг У Форматі 3П Медицини

“…Маркерами ксеростомії (сухість в ротовій порожнині) можуть бути сироватковий альбумін та амілаза [45,46]…”