A study on Evaluation of efficacy of bethanechol in the management of chemoradiation-induced xerostomia in oral cancer patients

OBJECTIVES: Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common oral cancer. Radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy is an ideal treatment modality largely used for oral cancers, which precipitates many side effects, of which the most challenging and debilitating side effect is xerostomia. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of bethanechol in patients with xerostomia following chemoradiation therapy for oral cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with xerostomia postchemoradiation therapy, aged between 30 and 65 years, were selected based on selection criteria. Thirty patients in the study group were administered 25 mg bethanechol three times daily (TDS) and 20 patients in the control group with placebo capsules. The subjective symptoms of oral dryness were periodically evaluated at baseline, at the end of 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) weeks using a self-reported questionnaire. Salivary analysis such as whole resting saliva and whole stimulated saliva (WSS) volumes, amylase, pH and sodium potassium ratio were evaluated before and 3 weeks after bethanechol and placebo therapy. RESULTS: Twenty-four (80%) patients in bethanechol group and only 2 (10%) patients in control group showed subjective improvement in oral dryness at the end of 3(rd) week. A significant difference was found between two groups in whole resting and stimulated saliva volume, pH and amylase. However, there was no statistically significant difference in sodium potassium ratio with insignificant adverse effects after 3 weeks of bethanechol therapy. CONCLUSIONS: 25 mg bethanechol (TDS) has shown subjective improvement in oral dryness in 24 (80%) patients with significant improvement in whole resting and WSS volumes, pH and salivary amylase with insignificant adverse effects.