Abstract:

Purpose: Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of head and neck cancers. However, in curative treatment, mucositis and mouth drying are the most common side effects. This prospective, the purpose of the randomized study is to compare the effectiveness of zinc sulfate and amyphostin in prevention of radiation-caused sperm damage in patients with head and neck cancer using quantitative sperm syntigraphy (QSGS). Patients and Method: Radio ± chemotherapy 30 headache cancer patients were randomly assigned to zinc sulfate or amifostin groups. All patients were evaluated by oral mucous direction by using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Acute Radiation Morbidity Score once a week during RT and weight tracking was carried out. Before and 2 months after treatment, the sputum gland syntigraphy was withdrawn. Using time-activity curves, the changes in the maximum intake (UR) and connective sputum breakthrough rate (ER) between before and after treatment were calculated. The measurements were compared statistically using the Mann-Whitney U test. The statistical significance is defined as p <0.05 . The protective effect of zinc sulfate on sperm glands was similar to amifost, and there was no statistically meaningful difference between UR, ER results, oral mucousitis or two groups of weight loss. The effectiveness of both support therapies was compared and no statistically meaningful difference was found. However, due to the cost difference, use of zinc sulfate may be an alternative to amifostine for the prevention of mouth drying, oral mucosite and other toxic effects. It is recommended that more patients have longer follow-up periods.