Table 2 Methodological and patient characteristics of the included studies
Study | Year | Study design | Tumor location | Radiotherapy | Sample sizea | follow-up time | Drop out | Oral complications | Assessment tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mall et al. [17] | 2016 | RCT | Carcinoma of the posterior tongue | CRT | 15/15 | 6 months | 3/3 | Xerostomia | (QLQ-H&N35) questionnaires and salivary flow rate |
Nayar et al. [15] | 2016 | retrospective cohort study | Cancer on/near the mandible or maxilla | IMRT, CRT | 24/33 | 2 months | 0 | Trismus | The maximal mouth opening |
Verrone et al. [14] | 2014 | retrospective cohort study | SCC of the tongue and the floor of the mouth | IMRT | 19/14 | 7 weeks | 0 | Mucositis | Mucositis severity (scored by the classification criteria of the World Health Organization) |
Goel et al. [16] | 2010 | RCT | Posterior third of the tongue cancer | CRT | 24/24 | 60 days | 0 | Dental caries, mucositis, dry mouth, salivary changes, taste alteration, dysphagia, trismus, and pain on swallowing | The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group’s 045 head and neck cancer adverse events grading tool |
Qin et al. [13] | 2007 | RCT | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma | CRT | 19/24 | 8 weeks | 0 | taste alteration, mucositis | Taste test and mucositis grade (National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria Version 2.0) |