Risk Factors of Patient-Reported Xerostomia Among Oropharyngeal Cancer Survivors Treated with Definitive Radiotherapy.

In this large xerostomia study, about 4 out of 10 OPC survivors reported moderate to severe xerostomia over long-term follow-up. Continued smoking after cancer diagnosis, sex, and education were identified as important risk factors of moderate to severe xerostomia and concurrent cetuximab therapy and more modern RT regimens had a protective association. Sustained smoking post-diagnosis is a modifiable risk factor which can be addressed with continued smoking cessation efforts. Lastly, these results can inform future research and targeted patient-centered interventions to monitor and manage RT-associated xerostomia and preserve QoL among OPC patients.