This study examined saliva weight over time and its association with diet and patient-rated swallowing, dry mouth, sticky saliva, and distorted sense of taste in head and neck cancer (HNCA) patients treated with surgery plus chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The study concluded that saliva weight correlated with diet, eating quality, and taste perception, and worsened post-treatment across groups and tumor site with improvement around 36 months. As such, newer technologies are needed to preserve saliva production and maintain a higher quality of life in these patients.
Likhterov I, Ru M, Ganz C, Urken ML, Chai R, Okay D, Liu J, Stewart R, Culliney B, Palacios D, Lazarus CL
Laryngoscope, 2018
