Determinants of patient-reported xerostomia among long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors.

In this large xerostomia study, modern radiotherapy was a protective factor, and continued cigarette smoking at the time of survey, female sex, and high school or lower education were identified as other contributing risk factors associated with moderate to severe xerostomia. Importantly, these findings need to be confirmed in prospective studies. These results can inform future research and targeted patient-centered interventions to monitor and manage radiation therapy-associated xerostomia and preserve quality of life among patients with OPC.