Determinants of patient-reported xerostomia among long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors

A cross-sectional study at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) investigated clinicodemographic risk factors for xerostomia among long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors. Moderate to severe xerostomia was reported by 39.1% of responding survivors. Modern radiotherapy was a protective factor, and continued cigarette smoking at the time of survey, female sex, and high school or lower education were identified as other contributing factors associated with moderate to severe xerostomia.These findings need to be confirmed in prospective studies.