摘要
Objective: To investigate the severity of xerostomia and its impact on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after conventional radiation therapy. Methods: One hundred and thirty-six patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, treated by conventional radiation therapy in Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, were surveyed by interview at the outpatient department. A questionnaire and a visual analog scale (VAS) were used to analyze xerostomia and xerostomia-related problems. Results: Of 136 patints, 73.5% experienced a moderate to severe degree of xerostomia; 82.4% had to sip water to facilitate speech; 92.6% had to sip water to facilitate chewing and swallowing; 91.2% changed their feeding pattern (eating only mashed food); 61.3% had to wake up to drink water because of dry mouth; 75.0% had dental lesions to varying degrees. Conclusion: 73.5% of the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after conventional radiation therapy experienced a moderate to severe degree of xerostomia. Xerostomia has a significant impact on the patient's speech, deglutition, and sleep, and can increase the morbidity of the dental diseases.
