Head and neck cancer is treated mainly with surgery and
radiotherapy.
Xerostomia and
mucositis are common adverse effects of
radiation therapy. One of the strategies aimed at decreasing radiation toxicity is the use of
radioprotective agents, such as
amifostine. We previously reported that radio induced apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes was statistically associated with normal tissue toxicity in the form of severe
xerostomia. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of
amifostine on the radiation-induced apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients suffering
head and neck cancer. Eighteen consecutive patients with
squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were included in the study. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated before and after the treatment with
amifostine. Then, cells were irradiated at 0, 1, 2 and 8 Gy during 24 hours. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry using
annexin V/
propidium iodide. As expected, radio-induced apoptosis values fitted to a semi logarithmic equation as follows: RIA = β ln(Gy) + α. The administration of
amifostine prior to
radiation therapy modulates radio-induced apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes: 13.68 vs. 13.37 (P = 0.027), 19.11 vs. 17.64 (P = 0.001) and 30.70 vs. 28.84 (P = 0.001), before and after the administration of the
drug for 1, 2 and 8 Gy respectively. α and β decreased significantly after the administration of the
drug: 13.58 vs. 12.99 (P = 0.009) and 8.21 vs. 7.53 (P = 0.017), respectively. Our results provide new information about the
biological actions of
amifostine in vivo.