Prevention of oral and salivary gland impairment in irradiated adolescent patients with head and neck cancer: A suggested protocol

Patients with head and neck cancer receive high doses of localized irradiation therapy, which results in destruction of salivary gland secretion ability. Pilocarpine hydrochloride was shown to have some beneficial effect on quality of life of these patients. Most studies concentrated on adult patients with head and neck cancer with no reference to adolescents. This case report demonstrates the long-term beneficial effect of pilocarpine hydrochloride in maintaining sufficient saliva, oral soft tissue integrity, and caries-free status in an adolescent cancer patient who received a total radiation dose of 6,000 cGy. A suggested protocol for management of irradiated adolescent patients with head and neck cancer is offered. Keywords: adolescent, head and neck radiation, pilocarpine hydrochloride, salivary function, salivary glands