What do systematic reviews say?

Chinese medicine vs no treatment/placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months postRT
  Insufficient evidence to determine any effect on overall survival (Hu 2005; Analysis 6.4)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  End of RT
  Insufficient evidence of a difference: oral discomfort MD -18.00 (95% CI -37.41 to 1.41); eating difficulties MD -14.40 (95% CI -35.38 to 6.58); mucosal pain MD -14.80 (95% CI -37.07 to 7.47); oral complications RR…
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine (intravenous) vs Amifostine (subcutaneous)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No data on either quality of life or other oral related symptoms were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva

Bethanechol led to higher salivary flow rate (stimulated, ml/min) compared with artificial saliva; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  8 to 40 weeks postRT
  MD 0.21 [0.01, 0.41]
  1 study · 29 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  End of RT
  MD 0.13 [-0.03, 0.29]
  1 study · 32 participants
  GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No statistical difference between groups in bethanechol-related toxicity; no patient experienced severe (grade 3) toxicity (Jaguar 2015)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine (intravenous) vs Amifostine (subcutaneous)

Amifostine (intravenous) led to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with amifostine (subcutaneous); GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months postRT
  RR 0.61 [0.42, 0.88]
  1 study · 127 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Up to and including 3 months postRT
  RR 1.03 [0.76, 1.40]
  1 study · 263 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antiseptic mouthrinse vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No relevant adverse events were reported in any group (Lanzos 2010)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

Bethanechol led to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  End of RT
  RR 0.43 [0.28, 0.66]
  1 study · 84 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Up to and including 3 months postRT
  RR 0.81 [0.65, 1.01]
  1 study · 84 participants
  GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

Bethanechol showed no clear difference in salivary flow rate (stimulated, ml/min) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 months postRT
  MD 0.15 [-0.03, 0.33]
  1 study · 97 participants
  GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Any time point
  No evidence of a difference between treatment groups for stimulated salivary flow at any time point (Analysis 1.5)
  8 studies
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

It is very uncertain whether amifostine changes overall survival compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 to 24 months postRT
  HR 1.18 [0.85, 1.66]
  2 studies · 271 participants
  Very low

Bethanechol vs placebo

Bethanechol led to higher salivary flow rate (unstimulated, ml/min) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 months postRT
  MD 0.19 [0.06, 0.32]
  1 study · 97 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antimicrobial lozenge vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No survival data were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Unable to use the data on locoregional control (Grotz 2001)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF; palifermin or repifermin), intravenous vs placebo

Palifermin showed no clear difference in dysphagia compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months postRT
  RR 1.32 [0.55, 3.13]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

Amifostine showed no clear difference in locoregional tumour control compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 to 24 months postRT
  HR 0.90 [0.74, 1.11]
  2 studies · 279 participants
  GRADE not reported

Polaprezinc vs Azulene oral rinse

Polaprezinc showed no clear difference in disability of oral intake compared with azulene oral rinse; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Over RT period
  RR 0.31 [0.07, 1.31]
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Venalot Depot (coumarin plus troxerutin) vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No data on either quality of life or other oral related symptoms were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Antimicrobial lozenge vs placebo

Antimicrobial lozenge led to higher nausea (adverse effect) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Over 6 months
  RR 1.90 [1.10, 3.28]
  1 study · 131 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antiseptic mouthrinse vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No survival data were reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found