Drooling (hyposialosis) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Antiseptic mouthrinse showed no clear difference in drooling (hyposialosis) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Quality of life (McMaster HNRQ, 1-7 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
It is very uncertain whether pilocarpine changes quality of life (McMaster HNRQ, 1-7 scale) compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Disease-free survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine showed no clear difference in disease-free survival compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Quality of life · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine showed no clear difference in quality of life compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Progression‐free survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine showed no clear difference in progression-free survival compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Survival not reported.
0 studies
No studies found
Dysgeusia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine led to lower dysgeusia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Palifermin showed no clear difference in overall survival compared with placebo (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
HR 1.00 [0.72, 1.39]
3 studies
Moderate
Survival (overall survival and locoregional control) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Locoregional control · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine (intravenous) showed no clear difference in locoregional tumour control compared with amifostine (subcutaneous); GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
HR 1.34 [0.76, 2.36]
1 study
GRADE not reported
Survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Cost (mean per-patient supportive care costs) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Pilocarpine led to lower xerostomia (objective, LENT-SOMA scale) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
3 findings from 1 review
MD -0.40 [-0.69, -0.11]
1 study · 39 participants
GRADE not reported
RR 1.00 [0.92, 1.08]
2 studies · 48 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD -0.35 [-1.04, 0.33]
2 studies · 126 participants
Very low
Adverse effects (other reported events) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Alopecia, skin toxicity, hot flush, drowsiness, sneezing, hiccupping, dizziness and fatigue reported narratively or only for the amifostine group; insufficient evidence of a difference
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
RR 0.35 [0.19, 0.67]
3 studies · 119 participants
Low
RR 0.70 [0.40, 1.23]
7 studies · 682 participants
Low
RR 0.66 [0.48, 0.92]
5 studies · 687 participants
Low
Allergic adverse events · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to higher allergic response (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Taste disturbance (severe, > 2 on 0-3 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Polaprezinc led to lower taste disturbance (severe, > 2 on 0-3 scale) compared with azulene oral rinse; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review