Active clinical trials for "Xerostomia"

The purpose of this study is to treat with traditional Chinese medicine mouthwash, and through the research of dental plaque detection and xerostomia questionnaire and traditional Chinese medicine treatment mechanism.

Standard treatment for oropharynx cancer is radiotherapy by intensity modulation with only one planification before treatment. Adaptative radiotherapy integrates one or several planifications during treatment radiotherapy in order to take into account anatomic modifications that occurs. Adaptative radiotherapy is very expensive, complex and is consuming human resources as well as equipment. ARTIX study (NCT01874587) entitled "Phase III trial testing the benefit of intensity-modulated radiotherapy with weekly replanifications versus intensity modulated radiotherapy with only one planification in locally advanced oropharynx carcinoma for decreasing xerostomia" is completed and clinical data from this study are used to analyse if xerostomia is decreased when adaptative radiotherapy is used. ARTOME study will assess cost-efficiency and cost utility between standard treatment (one pretherapeutic planification) and experimental treatment (weekly replanifications during treatment). Clinical data from ARTIX study will be used for ARTOME study.

The 3 Specific Aims are (1) To determine the prevalence, incidence and severity of oral conditions in postmenopausal early stage breast cancer survivors within the first 18 months of adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor(AI) therapy, (2) To determine the oral health quality of life among postmenopausal early stage breast cancer survivors who are receiving AI therapy, (3) To determine the utilization of dental care among postmenopausal women receiving AIs with a history of early stage BCa over time. The hypothesis for this pilot study is that AIs negatively impact oral health and oral health quality of life in the setting of breast cancer survivors. Further, we hypothesize that dental visits are underutilized in women with BCa undergoing adjuvant AI therapy.

Therapeutic irradiation to the head and neck for cancer damages salivary glands present in the radiation field. Despite long recognition of radiation-induced salivary hypofunction, and the associated oral morbidities, the specific damage mechanism(s) is not known and the structure and functional integrity of the surviving parenchymal tissue has not been well-documented. Detailed knowledge of the latter is particularly necessary in order to design appropriate corrective therapies. It is the purpose of this study to provide such a detailed structural and functional assessment of human parotid glands following irradiation. The study will examine 20 patients beginning just prior to therapeutic irradiation and continuing at intervals for 3 years for a total of 5 study visits. Study visits (prior to irradiation and at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 12 months and 36 months post-irradiation) will include the following procedures: i) detailed oral exam and structured interview; ii) salivary gland functional assessment; iii) sialography of each parotid gland; iv) 99mTcO4 scan of the salivary glands; and v) a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the parotid glands. Based on previous single observation studies in humans, and more detailed animal studies, we hypothesize that ionizing radiation will lead to reduced parotid gland function and diminished salivary parenchymal tissue (with a preferential loss in acinar versus ductal cells). Further, we hypothesize that the parenchymal loss will increase with time (replaced by fat and connective tissue) and lead to progressive irreversible salivary dysfunction.

Mucositis and xerostomia are the most common complications of head and neck (H&N) irradiation, and the combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is associated with a significantly higher rate of complications. Mucositis usually develops during the second or third week of a course of standard radiotherapy, and the pain it causes peaks between the third and last week of treatment. The pain then persists for at least one month following the completion of therapy, and may be so overwhelming that it prevents patients from swallowing food and fluids. The patient is therefore at a risk to develop malnutrition, and must be treated vigorously. In this respect, the use of gastrostomy tubes (PEG) has been shown to be beneficial. Completion of the full course of irradiation, without interruption, is important for achieving best possible results in cancer of the H&N. It is therefore essential to identify and refer patients at risk to receive effective and timely nutritional intervention. Since mucositis represents a clinical continuum which differs between patients, it is difficult to assess before-hand which patients will be at risk. There is no simple laboratory tool available, which could predict which patients are susceptible to develop severe mucositis and dysphagia, and eventually will require a feeding gastrostomy. The first phase of mucositis, inflammation, results in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). In general, the inflammatory cytokines IL-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF-α are elevated in inflammatory conditions and are found in increased levels in blood and tissue fluid during inflammation, while anti-inflammatory cytokines are produced in a decreased manner. The main purpose of this study is to find the best indicators and prognosticators of mucositis occurring in the healthy oral tissues of H&N cancer patients receiving treatment, and to understand the cytokines balance mechanism of action. Assuming there is a correlation between high cytokines levels during inflammation and the severity of radiation induced mucositis, finding these prognostic factors may help us predict during the first part of the treatment the need for PEG, placing it prior to the complications associated with severe mucositis on one hand, and avoiding unnecessary procedures on the other hand.

Over 10% of adult population suffers from dry mouth (xerostomia). The aim of this double blind prospective clinical trial is to examine a new lipid based food additive formulation to ease mouth dryness in these patients.