Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients, and available treatments are of little benefit. Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center determined whether acupuncture can prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in New York City studied whether acupuncture reduces pain and dysfunction in patients with squamous cell cancer and a history of neck dissection (photo) — a surgical procedure used to control neck lymph node metastasis.
This is the second study in a week to report a positive effect in patients with head and neck cancer complicated by xerostomia (abnormal dryness of the mouth resulting from decreased secretion of saliva).