Participants
xerostomia, Tumour, HNC, psychiatric, Sjogren’s syndrome
XEROSTOMIA, TUMOUR
Patients with HNC who visited the Oral Medicine, Head and Neck Department – Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli—IRCSS between October 2020 and March 2022 were screened for inclusion. Patients were assessed during their routine follow-up within the context of the multidisciplinary Tumour Board.The following inclusion criteria were applied:Patients older than 18 years.Patients diagnosed with HNC who had received local RT involving the salivary glands at least 3 months before the beginning of the study both for curative and palliative purposes, with or without chemotherapy, reporting xerostomia symptoms.Patients diagnosed with HNC who had received local RT as an adjuvant to surgical resection at least 3 months before the beginning of the study, with or without chemotherapy, reporting xerostomia symptoms.The exclusion criteria were as follows:Patients with documented contraindications to any of the components of sodium-hyaluronate mouthwash (including excipients).Patients with neurological and psychiatric conditions influencing their ability to self-apply the treatment.Patients unwilling to complete the request diary card.Patients unable to attend the ambulatory visits scheduled by the protocol.Patients participating in other clinical studies.Patients who had received antitumour treatment during the previous 3 months.Patients with concomitant Sjogren’s syndrome.Other causes of xerostomia (i.e. pharmacological treatment).