Curing the Cure

Head and neck cancer accounts for 3% of all new cancer cases each year and is the 5th most common malignancy.  Radiation of head and neck tumors induces hyposalivation, or dry mouth, an irreversible side effect in which salivary glands are irradiated.  Dry mouth leads to an abundance of problems such as hampered speech, oral infection, sleep disturbances, and difficulty swallowing, all of which reduces the patient's quality of life.  Based on the severe impact that dry mouth has on the patient's quality of life, it has become clear that there is a clinical need for an efficient method of treatment.

Regeneration of salivary glands has been possible with the advent of stem cell transplantation.  This new use of transplantation is one of the more effective applications in the controversial world of stem cells.