Radiotherapy Dose-Volume Effects on Salivary Gland Function
- Department of Medical Physics, British Columbia Cancer Agency-Vancouver Cancer Center, Vancouver, BC (Canada)
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia School of Medicine, New York, NY (United States)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Publications relating parotid dose-volume characteristics to radiotherapy-induced salivary toxicity were reviewed. Late salivary dysfunction has been correlated to the mean parotid gland dose, with recovery occurring with time. Severe xerostomia (defined as long-term salivary function of <25% of baseline) is usually avoided if at least one parotid gland is spared to a mean dose of less than {approx}20 Gy or if both glands are spared to less than {approx}25 Gy (mean dose). For complex, partial-volume RT patterns (e.g., intensity-modulated radiotherapy), each parotid mean dose should be kept as low as possible, consistent with the desired clinical target volume coverage. A lower parotid mean dose usually results in better function. Submandibular gland sparing also significantly decreases the risk of xerostomia. The currently available predictive models are imprecise, and additional study is required to identify more accurate models of xerostomia risk.
- OSTI ID:
- 21372131
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 76, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.06.090; PII: S0360-3016(09)03289-1; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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