Completed Research Project
Can acupuncture help improve the symptoms of radiation induced xerostomia? A prospective study
Investigators: Tanner P, White
K, Bydder S, Zhen M & Ng C.
Funding: Nil.
Abstract: Xerostomia is a frequent and major toxicity of radiotherapy treatment for cancers of the head and neck. It has a number of consequences. Patients who have had radiotherapy to the head and neck region are more susceptible to periodontal disease, dental caries, yeast, bacterial and viral infection, as well as osteoradionecrosis. Dry mouth can affect the patient’s ability to speak, eat and can make the wearing of dentures difficult. The potentially dramatic effect on their quality of life should not be underestimated. Xerostomia is often permanent and refractory to most interventions. Recent reports have identified the potential for acupuncture to provide relief from xerostomia. These small studies have been undertaken retrospectively, with varying sample sizes. While there were methodological limitations, the results were sufficiently positive to warrant further investigations. The investigators therefore decided to undertake a prospective pilot study of 10 patients to determine the merits and measures for proceeding to a full clinical trial. Results of the study have shown that there was a decrease in the xerostomia felt by patients having acupuncture and the decrease was sustained 6 weeks post acupuncture treatment. This decrease was not as great as has been reported in previous studies however. The primary tool used for this study the “Xerostomia Inventory’ proved to be a reliable tool that was easy to use. The patients’ comments were more positive than the inventory results reflected. This may be due to the acupuncture induced improvement in their symptoms or it may be the effect of extra psychosocial support received by those participating in the study as well as the group support from fellow sufferers.
