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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Acupuncture | Review

Cancer treatment-related xerostomia: basics, therapeutics, and future perspectives

Authors: Mohammad-Salar Hosseini, Sarvin Sanaie, Ata Mahmoodpoor, Saba Jabbari Beyrami, Hossein Jabbari Beyrami, Shirin Fattahi, Farid Jahanshahlou, Mahdi Zarei, Alireza Rahimi Mamaghani, Mahshid Kuchaki Rafsanjani

Published in: European Journal of Medical Research | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Xerostomia, generally addressed as dry mouth, poses significant challenges to patients’ quality of life, particularly in the context of cancer treatment. Although various medications and interventions, including salivary substitutes and stimulants, muscarinic agonists, antineoplastic detoxifying agents, anti-inflammatory agents, superoxide dismutase mimetics, mesenchymal stem cells, submandibular gland transfer, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, dose fractionation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, photobiomodulation, acupuncture, and nutritional interventions, have been proposed for this condition, no approved or definite treatments are currently available. Moreover, the evidence supporting the efficacy of proposed interventions remains limited and subject to controversy in terms of safety, efficacy, and optimal protocol. This review provides a comprehensive insight into cancer treatment-related xerostomia, underlying its pathophysiology, etiology, clinical manifestation, and therapeutic options, providing a clinical guide for clinicians to adopt a patient-tailored approach to cancer treatment-related xerostomia and offering vision on current ongoing and future studies in the field.

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Title: Cancer treatment-related xerostomia: basics, therapeutics, and future perspectives
Authors: Mohammad-Salar Hosseini
Sarvin Sanaie
Ata Mahmoodpoor
Saba Jabbari Beyrami
Hossein Jabbari Beyrami
Shirin Fattahi
Farid Jahanshahlou
Mahdi Zarei
Alireza Rahimi Mamaghani
Mahshid Kuchaki Rafsanjani
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Acupuncture
Radiotherapy
Nerve Stimulation
Published in: European Journal of Medical Research / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2047-783X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-02167-x

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