The goal of this prospective observational study is to investigate whether whole brain radiation leads to measurable xerostomia from parotid gland toxicity.
The parotids have not been traditionally considered an organ at risk / avoidance structure in whole brain radiation. However, patients receiving whole brain radiation sometimes complain of dry mouth. Investigators hypothesize that standard whole brain radiation fields cause an acute measurable increase in xerostomia at one month post-radiation, and that the severity of xerostomia is related to the dose received by the parotids. In this study, investigators will use the validated University of Michigan Xerostomia Questionnaire to prospectively collect baseline and post-radiation xerostomia scores up to 6 months after treatment. The radiation dose to the parotids will be evaluated to assess whether there is a dose-toxicity relationship. Investigators anticipate a total accrual of 60 patients with a goal of 48 evaluable patients.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
100
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Radiation Oncology
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Measureable acute increase in xerostomia
Time frame: baseline to 1 month post-treatment
Association of degree of change in xerostomia score and the radiation dose received by the parotid glands
Time frame: baseline to 1 month post-RT
Effect of whole brain radiation on the time course of xerostomia
Time frame: baseline and four post-radiation time points (procedure, 1 month post-RT, 3 months post-RT, 6 months post-RT).
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