Evaluation of Mucociliary Activity in Maxillary Antra in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Buccal Mucosa Undergoing Post Operative Radiotherapy

Abstract

A prospective longitudinal observational study was conducted on 24 patients of histopathologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa upon whom bilateral 'middle meatal antrostomy was performed during the same sitting as the tumour resection with the main aim to assess the maxillary mucociliary clearance, pre-, during and post-irradiation; and compare the findings with the non-irradiated side in the same patient to avoid any confounding factors. All patients underwent methylene blue dye clearance and saccharine clearance tests before the commencement of radiation therapy, weekly during irradiation and again at first and sixth month of completion of irradiation. Pre-radiation there was statistically no difference (P > 0.05) in clearance times between both sides. But, there was a significant (P < 0.001) increase in saccharin and methylene blue clearance times on the irradiated side in comparison to contralateral non-irradiated side, during and post-radiation. It is concluded that external beam radiotherapy for oral cancers significantly affect ciliary activity in the adjacent maxillary antrum and has no effect on the opposite side. Recovery in mucociliary activity was not seen even after 6 months after radiation therapy.

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