A survey of techniques to reduce and manage external beam radiation-induced xerostomia in British oncology and radiotherapy departments

Xerostomia is the most common side effect of external beam radiotherapy to the head and neck [Anand A, Jain J, Negi P, Chaudhoory A, Sinha S, Choudhury P, et-al. Can dose reduction to one parotid gland prevent xerostomia? – A feasibility study for locally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Clinical Oncology 2006;18(6):497–504.]. A survey was carried out in British oncology departments to determine what treatment regimes, to minimise xerostomia, are used for patients with head-and-neck cancers treated with external beam radiotherapy.