The use of pilocarpine hydrochloride to prevent xerostomia in a child treated with high dose radiotherapy for nasopharynx carcinoma

A case is presented of a 10-year-old male with carcinoma of the nasopharynx with involvement of neck nodes, treated with high dose radiotherapy after four cycles of chemotherapy. Because of concern about causing xerostomia with its attendant problems, pilocarpine hydrochloride, 5 mg orally three times daily, was initiated at the onset of radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was well tolerated and at 7 months postradiotherapy, there was no evidence of residual or recurrent tumour and no xerostomia. Pilocarpine hydrochloride should be considered in children who ale to receive high dose radiotherapy to the head and neck region which would include the parotid glands. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.