Abstracto

Radiation Induced Salivary Gland Damage: Review on Pathogenesis and Management

Dr. Sukhmani Kaur Gill, Dr. Ashutosh Nirola, Dr. Anuj Paul Maini and Dr. Ruhi Sidhu

Salivary gland damage leading to hyposalivation and xerostomia is one of the most common complications of radiation therapy. Xerostomia and associated complications amplifies the adversities faced by a patient. Providing relief from these complications plays an important role in maintaining the overall systemic health of the patient which directly and indirectly affects the treatment outcome. This article focuses on the pathogenesis of the salivary gland damage caused by radiotherapy and the different modalities to treat and alleviate the symptoms. The various approaches include symptomatic treatment of the complications, stimulation of salivary function, and the use of radioprotector to prevent the damage along with the emerging techniques of salivary gland regeneration.