Contact: Carol George (703) 227-0170
Keri Sperry (703) 227-0156 [email protected]
Pager: (703) 515-5565
San Antonio Press Room: (210) 582-7129
For Release: November 1, 1999
AMIFOSTINE IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE
OF HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS
A new drug is proving to be effective in treating one of the most common side effects patients suffer during and after radiation treatments for head and neck cancer. The drug, amifostine, is easing xerostomia (severe dry mouth), a condition that can make it very difficult for these patients to eat, drink and even speak.
"In a study of 303 patients treated throughout the world, we found that head and neck cancer patients who were given amifostine about 15 minutes before each radiation treatment fared better in the short and long term compared to those patients who did not receive the drug," says David Brizel, M.D., associate professor of radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. Dr. Brizel presented the study November 1 at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX.
The study found that, in the short term, 51 percent of patients who received amifostine suffered grade 2 xerostomia (complete lack of saliva); that number increased to 78 percent for those who did not receive the drug before radiation treatments, says Dr. Brizel.
When patients were examined a year after treatment, the benefits of amifostine were still evident with 34 percent of patients who received amifostine suffering grade 2 xerostomia compared to 57 percent for patients who did not receive the drug, he says.
The study also suggests, but is not conclusive that amifostine, can help alleviate mucositis (inflammation and sores in the mouth and throat), says Dr. Brizel. More study in this area needs to be done, he says.
Dr. Brizel adds that in addition to the clinical evidence indicating amifostine's benefits regarding xerostomia, patients also experienced improved quality of life as indicated by responses to a questionnaire administered during and after. Based on the results of the questionnaire, patients who had been given amifostine "fared consistently better," says Dr. Brizel.
"Some researchers have questioned whether the effects of amifostine are only seen in normal tissues or if it protects the tumor as well, says Dr. Brizel. "This study indicates that the answer to that question is no; the overall survival at two years for these patients was 71 percent for patients who were given amifostine before each radiation treatment compared to 66 percent who did not receive the drug, he says.
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 5,000 members. As a leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the society's goals are to advance the scientific base of radiation therapy and to extend the benefits of radiation therapy to those with cancer.
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