Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2021 Feb;147(2):539-547. doi: 10.1007/s00432-020-03347-y. Epub 2020 Aug 14.
Radiation therapy is an important mode of treatment for patients with head and neck cancers, but some associated complications can reduce the quality of life. We investigated whether N-acetylcysteine inhalation therapy improved the quality of life of such patients.
We designed a prospective, non-randomized controlled multi-center study involving 10 institutions. We enrolled 120 patients (80 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group). Patients in the experimental group inhaled nebulized liquid N-acetylcysteine (2400 mg daily) for 8 weeks from the start of radiation therapy. Quality of life was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire H&N 35.
N-acetylcysteine inhalation was not associated with any side effect or discomfort. The reduction in painkiller use from the end of N-acetylcysteine inhalation therapy to the 1-month follow-up was greater in the experimental group than in the control group (P = 0.014). Dry mouth symptoms also improved significantly in the experimental group (P = 0.019).
N-acetylcysteine inhalation improves the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancers who are receiving radiation therapy, without any specific side effect.
放射治疗是头颈部癌症患者的重要治疗方式，但一些相关的并发症会降低生活质量。我们研究了乙酰半胱氨酸吸入疗法是否能改善此类患者的生活质量。
我们设计了一项前瞻性、非随机对照的多中心研究，涉及 10 家机构。共纳入 120 例患者（实验组 80 例，对照组 40 例）。实验组患者从放射治疗开始时起每天吸入雾化乙酰半胱氨酸（2400mg）8 周。使用欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生活质量问卷 H&N 35 评估生活质量。
乙酰半胱氨酸吸入没有任何副作用或不适。从乙酰半胱氨酸吸入治疗结束到 1 个月随访时，实验组止痛药使用量的减少大于对照组（P=0.014）。实验组口干症状也明显改善（P=0.019）。
乙酰半胱氨酸吸入可改善接受放射治疗的头颈部癌症患者的生活质量，且无特定副作用。
