Relation between chemotherapy and xerostomia
Chemotherapy (chemo) is a type of treatment that includes a medication or combination of medications to treat cancer. The goal of chemo is to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells. Chemo is considered a systemic therapy. This means it may affect your entire body. Chemo medications attack rapidly growing cancer cells, but they can also affect healthy cells that grow rapidly. The effect of these medications on normal cells often causes chemo side effects(1), in addition it has localized effects on salivary glands, leading to xerostomia, which can be define as an overall redaction of salivary output, there are many another causes for xerostomia include: aging as result of continues loss of acinar cell, radiotherapy, Sjogren's syndrome (primary and secondary). The chronic dryness of the mucosa in xerostomia leads to caries, periodontal diseases, candidiasis and ascending(bacterial) sialadenitis(2), Dry mouth can be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.(3) Other potential complications include altered speech, changes to taste or smell, difficulty swallowing and indigestion. Any of these side effects can impact patients’ overall eating and drinking habits and nourishment
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the aim of this study is to determine how important chemotherapy is, and to specifically highlight information regarding it is role in reducing salivary flow.
