Chinese medicine treatment for dry mouth after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma–strengthening the spleen, benefiting the kidneys, nourishing yin and generating fluid

  Nasopharyngeal cancer is one of the tumors with high local incidence, and the incidence is higher in Guangdong, also known as “Guangdong cancer”. Radiotherapy is the preferred method, and early radiotherapy has a high clinical remission rate, but radiotherapy of the head and neck kills tumor cells and salivary gland secretory cells at the same time, causing stubborn dry mouth, which often causes ulceration of the oropharyngeal mucosa during and after radiotherapy. This seriously affects the quality of life and emotional stability of patients. Chinese medicine theory believes that the amount of saliva is determined by the spleen and kidney: “saliva is kidney fluid” and “saliva is spleen fluid”. Therefore, the method of strengthening the spleen and kidney can promote the secretion of saliva and repair the salivary gland cells damaged by radiotherapy, and the clinical treatment with Si Jun Zi Tang and Er Zhi Wan plus reduction is satisfactory.