Prevalence of xerostomia in women during breast cancer chemotherapy

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the prevalence of xerostomia in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Method: Prospective cohort with 27 women who underwent up to 16 sessions of intravenous chemotherapy. Data collection was performed at the outpatient clinic of a university hospital in the city of São Paulo, where two forms were applied before the start of treatment and the Xerostomia Inventory before and after each chemotherapy session. Results: Complaints of dry mouth were present in 48.1% of women before chemotherapy, and they were approximately 28 times more likely to develop dry mouth during treatment. It was observed that the use of antiemetics contributed to the occurrence of xerostomia, and the anti-ulcerous were presented as a protective factor. Conclusion: The study identified both a high prevalence of xerostomia regardless of the chemotherapy used and the need to create protocols to improve the quality of life of these patients.