Journal List > J Korean Acad Oral Health > v.36(4) > 1057549

Jeong and Lim: Analysis on saliva of head and neck cancer patients

Abstract

Objectives

This study is performed to evaluate the salivary secretion, salivary pH and cariogenic activity in head and neck cancer patients.

Methods

Thirty patients (26 male, 4 female) who had head and neck cancer and were treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and 28 normal volunteers (9 male, 19 female) as a control were included. The mean age of the patients group and control group were 55.9 years and 51.6 years, respectively. The patients group was examined of salivary secretion, salivary pH, and cariogenic activity, and was compared with the control group.

Results

In comparison with the control group, salivary secretion, salivary pH and cariogenic activity were lower, significantly, in head and neck cancer patients (P<0.01). There are negative correlations between cariogenic activity and salivary secretion (r=-0.364, P<0.01), cariogenic activity and salivary pH (r=-0.534, P<0.01) in head and neck cancer patients, and cariogenic activity and salivary pH (r=-0.413, P<0.05) in the control group. There are positive correlations between salivary pH and salivary secretion (r=0.409, P<0.01) in head and neck cancer patients.

Conclusions

These results suggest that salivary secretion and salivary pH are reduced; cariogenic activity is increased in head and neck cancer patients. Such salivary factor and cariogenic activity can increase the possibility of induction of dental caries.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Comparision of cariogenic activity head and neck cancer patients and normal people
jkaoh-36-303-i001

Values are Mean±SD.

*P<0.01, by Mann-Whitney test.

Table 2
Correlation between variables in head and neck cancer patients
jkaoh-36-303-i002

*P<0.01, by Spearman's correlation.

Table 3
Correlation between variables in normal group
jkaoh-36-303-i003

*P<0.01, by Spearman's correlation.

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