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
Taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - individual taste sensations · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal failure)
Zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… showed no clear difference in taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) -… compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Interventions for managing taste disturbances 2017 · Cochrane All outcomesChronic renal failure
Results (Mahajan 1980, chronic renal failure; Analysis 1.3): mean difference by taste sensation - salt MD 285 (95% CI 238.75 to 331.25); sweet MD 190 (142.36 to 237.64); sour MD 10 (-16.43 to 36.43); bitter MD 2.40…
1 study · 22 participants
GRADE not reported
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
Adverse events · Adults with cancer receiving treatment
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
No evidence of a difference in reported adverse events across the three trials (nausea, fever, constipation, diarrhoea, headache, fatigue and others)
3 studies
GRADE not reported
Xerostomia (VAS) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Oral mucositis (any severity) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) led to lower oral mucositis (any severity) compared with placebo or no treatment; GRADE not reported.
2 findings from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Antimicrobial lozenge showed no clear difference in xerostomia compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
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
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Oral mucositis (moderate to severe) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… may leads to lower oral mucositis (moderate to severe) compared with placebo (low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
RR 0.89 [0.80, 0.99]
6 studies · 852 participants
Low
RR 0.91 [0.83, 1.00]
3 studies · 471 participants
Moderate
RR 0.56 [0.45, 0.70]
4 studies · 344 participants
Moderate
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Chinese medicine led to lower xerostomia (dichotomous, Shenqi Fanghou recipe) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Oral pain · Adults with cancer receiving treatment
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… showed no clear difference in oral pain (mean worst pain, 0 to 10 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
2 findings from 1 review
Quality of life · 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
Vomiting · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to higher vomiting (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste detection (cross-over trial) · Patients with taste disturbances (dysgeusia/hypogeusia; idiopathic, zinc-deficient, or secondary to chronic renal failure)
It is very uncertain whether zinc supplements (zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate,… changes taste acuity improvement - objective outcome (continuous) - taste… compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Oral mucositis (severe) · Adults receiving bone marrow/stem cell transplantation after conditioning therapy for haematological cancers
Erythropoietin mouthwash showed no clear difference in oral mucositis (severe) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Normalcy of diet (supplemental nutrition: TPN, PEG, nasogastric tube or IV hydration) · Adults with cancer receiving treatment
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin),… showed no clear difference in normalcy of diet (supplemental nutrition: TPN, PEG, nasogastric tube… compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review