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Radiation therapy for cancers of the head and neck (including brachytherapy for thyroid cancers) where the salivary glands are close to or within the field irradiated is another major cause of xerostomia. [8] A radiation dose of 52 Gy is sufficient to cause severe salivary dysfunction.
The salivary glands and tear glands have a radiation tolerance of about 30 Gy in 2 Gy fractions, a dose which is exceeded by most radical head and neck cancer treatments. Dry mouth ( xerostomia ) and dry eyes ( xerophthalmia ) can become irritating long-term problems and severely reduce the patient's quality of life .
Salivary gland dysfunction refers to either xerostomia (the symptom of dry mouth) or salivary gland hypofunction (reduced production of saliva); it is associated with significant impairment of quality of life. [34] Following radiotherapy of the head and neck region, salivary gland dysfunction is a predictable side-effect. [34]
Treatment options may include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Icotinib has been temporarily effective at treating salivary gland-like carcinoma of the lung but loses efficiency after three months. [7]
Pleomorphic adenomas may recur after a very long time from primary surgery, on average over 7–10 years and up to 24 years. [10] [11] Survival rates due to malignancy depends on the patient and extent of disease. [4] A 10-year survival ranges from 32-83%. [4] Of all cancers, salivary gland tumors account for only 1%. [4]
This treatment regimen is the same as for all xerostomia patients, such as for those undergoing head and neck radiation therapy, which often damages the salivary glands; these glands are more susceptible to radiation than are other body tissues. [citation needed]
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