Oral shedding at human herpesviruses in patients undergoing radiotherapy/chemotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is not affected by xerostomia

Author(s)

Palmieri, Michelle ^[1] ; Ornaghi, Mariana ^[1] ; de Oliveira Martins, Victor Adriano ^[1] ; Correa, Luciana ^[1] ; Brandao, Thais Bianca ^[2] ; do Prado Ribeiro, Ana Carolina ^[2] ; Sumita, Laura Masami ^[3] ; Tozetto-Mendoza, Tania Regina ^[3] ; Pannuti, Claudio Sergio ^[3] ; Braz-Silva, Paulo Henrique ^{[1, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Dept Stomatol, Div Pathol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Inst Canc Estado Sao Paulo Octavio Frias de Olive, Div Dent, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Trop Med Sao Paulo, Lab Virol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY; v. 10, MAY 28 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Background: Xerostomia is a very relevant and frequent complication of radiotherapy, causing the irradiated oral mucosa to be affected by bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a possible relationship between oral shedding of human herpesviruses and xerostomia in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck submitted to radio/chemotherapy. Methods: In this study, oral rinse samples were collected weekly from 20 patients during radiotherapy. The samples were submitted to PCR and enzymatic digestion for detection of human herpesviruses. Xerostomia was evaluated according to the Seminars in Radiation Oncology criteria. Results: There was a higher frequency of grade 1 xerostomia (51.4%), observed first in the 1st week of radiotherapy. In the 4th week of radiotherapy, all patients presented some degree of xerostomia. Analysis of herpesviruses showed oral shedding of EBV, HHV-6 and HHV-7 in all weeks. Considering all the periods, the highest frequency was in patients with EBV excretion (55.0%), which was significantly higher than that of other viruses. Conclusion: We observed that oral shedding of herpesviruses was not affected by xerostomia as there was a progression in their excretion, even with the evolution of xerostomia. This suggested that there is a local replication in the oral cavity that is not completely dependent of salivary excretion. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/07727-9 - Evaluation of immunoregulatory microenvironment of oral premalignant lesions, squamous cell carcinomas and oropharyngeal carcinomas related to HPV or not.
• Grantee: Paulo Henrique Braz da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/03906-6 - Herpesvirus oral shedding in oral mucosa of patients under radiotherapy to oral squamous cell Carcinoma of the head and neck treatment
• Grantee: Victor Adriano de Oliveira Martins
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 12/04303-5 - Humam Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)oral shedding and viremia in HIV positive and negative patients.
• Grantee: Paulo Henrique Braz da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral