Press Examiner
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 BY NILADRI BOSE
IN HEALTH
People with neck and head cancer taking radiation treatments often have permanent salivary gland damage. As a result, they cannot make any saliva and lose their teeth. Plus, there are other serious consequences on everyday life as well.
In a major breakthrough, scientists have now found a way of preventing this. At this time, they are carrying out clinical trials to test their work.
Every year, half a million people worldwide have to take radiotherapy sessions for their neck and head cancer. 40% of these patients suffer from major damage to their salivary glands as a side effect. This causes the dry-mouth syndrome.
It is a painful condition. These people face problems doing common everyday things like eating and speaking because of the lack of saliva in their mouths. They have to keep drinking throughout the day, even in the middle of the night. This causes severe fatigue. Saliva also prevents oral infections and tooth decay. They have to take saliva-replacing liquids for as long as they live.
Researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have found stem cells inside central ducts of the parotid glands. Detailed experiments carried out on rats and mice have revealed that saliva production can be restarted by irradiating these ducts. The detailed findings of this study have been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Peter van Luijk, a biophysicist, says that, “radiotherapy treatments aim to reduce side effects. But there was no way to prevent the dry-mouth syndrome, as we didn’t know how radiation was causing this problem”.
They are hopeful that stem-cell-rich areas can be avoided while doing radiotherapy in the future. The team is now carrying out a double-blind clinical trial to form a strategy of preventing the dry-mouth syndrome. The trial is expected to take two to three years.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 BY NILADRI BOSE
IN HEALTH
People with neck and head cancer taking radiation treatments often have permanent salivary gland damage. As a result, they cannot make any saliva and lose their teeth. Plus, there are other serious consequences on everyday life as well.
In a major breakthrough, scientists have now found a way of preventing this. At this time, they are carrying out clinical trials to test their work.
Every year, half a million people worldwide have to take radiotherapy sessions for their neck and head cancer. 40% of these patients suffer from major damage to their salivary glands as a side effect. This causes the dry-mouth syndrome.
It is a painful condition. These people face problems doing common everyday things like eating and speaking because of the lack of saliva in their mouths. They have to keep drinking throughout the day, even in the middle of the night. This causes severe fatigue. Saliva also prevents oral infections and tooth decay. They have to take saliva-replacing liquids for as long as they live.
Researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have found stem cells inside central ducts of the parotid glands. Detailed experiments carried out on rats and mice have revealed that saliva production can be restarted by irradiating these ducts. The detailed findings of this study have been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Peter van Luijk, a biophysicist, says that, “radiotherapy treatments aim to reduce side effects. But there was no way to prevent the dry-mouth syndrome, as we didn’t know how radiation was causing this problem”.
They are hopeful that stem-cell-rich areas can be avoided while doing radiotherapy in the future. The team is now carrying out a double-blind clinical trial to form a strategy of preventing the dry-mouth syndrome. The trial is expected to take two to three years.