Objective: To evaluate the effect of a probiotic combination on clinical and oral microbiological parameters in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) undergoing radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 72 HNC patients who had received radiotherapy within the past year. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either daily probiotic sachets or placebo for 30 days. Salivary parameters—including unstimulated and stimulated flow rates and pH—were evaluated alongside oral microbiota profiles, including total bacterial load and selected periodontopathogens. Assessments were performed at baseline and post-intervention using sialometry, pH analysis, bacterial culture, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Sixty-one patients completed the study (31 in the probiotic group, 30 in the placebo group). Stimulated salivary flow increased significantly in the probiotic group (p= 0.0016), while unstimulated flow improved in both groups (p< 0.05). Salivary pH decreased significantly in the probiotic group (p= 0.0209); however, no intergroup differences were observed at the end of the intervention (p= 0.9839). qPCR showed significant reductions in total bacterial load (p= 0.0209) andFusobacterium nucleatum(p= 0.0080). Culture confirmed the reduction ofF. nucleatum(p= 0.0026), with a trend towards significance for total cultivable bacterial count (p= 0.0502). Conclusions: Daily supplementation with a probiotic combination may serve as a practical and well-tolerated adjunctive measure in clinical settings to improve salivary function and reduce key oral pathogens, particularlyFusobacterium nucleatum, in patients undergoing or recovering from radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. These findings support its potential integration into routine supportive care protocols to mitigate xerostomia and oral dysbiosis in this population.
目的：评估益生菌组合对接受放疗的头颈癌（HNC）患者临床及口腔微生物学指标的影响。 材料与方法：本研究采用随机、双盲、安慰剂对照临床试验设计，纳入72例过去一年内接受过放疗的HNC患者。参与者被随机分配接受每日益生菌冲剂或安慰剂干预，持续30天。评估指标包括唾液参数（非刺激与刺激状态下的唾液流速及pH值）及口腔微生物群特征（总细菌载量与特定牙周致病菌）。通过唾液流速测定、pH分析、细菌培养及实时定量聚合酶链反应（qPCR）在基线及干预结束后进行评估。 结果：61例患者完成研究（益生菌组31例，安慰剂组30例）。益生菌组刺激唾液流速显著增加（p=0.0016），两组非刺激唾液流速均有所改善（p<0.05）。益生菌组唾液pH值显著下降（p=0.0209），但干预结束时组间无显著差异（p=0.9839）。qPCR检测显示总细菌载量（p=0.0209）与具核梭杆菌（p=0.0080）显著降低。细菌培养证实具核梭杆菌减少（p=0.0026），总可培养菌数亦呈现降低趋势（p=0.0502）。 结论：每日补充益生菌组合可作为临床实践中一种实用且耐受性良好的辅助措施，有助于改善头颈癌放疗期间或康复期患者的唾液功能，并减少关键口腔病原菌（尤其是具核梭杆菌）的定植。这些发现支持将益生菌干预纳入常规支持性护理方案，以缓解该人群的口干症状与口腔菌群失调。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家