Abstract: [Abstract] Purpose: To investigate the changes and clinical significance of IFN-g、TNF-α、IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、IL-10 in the saliva and peripheral blood of the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radical radiotherapy. Methods: At three doses of radiotherapy, including DT=0 Gy, DT=40 Gy and DT= 70 Gy, six kinds of inflammatory cytokines were examined in the saliva and peripheral blood of 40 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radical radiotherapy. Results: (1)The levels of the six cytokines in saliva were remarkably higher than those in peripheral blood(P=0.000) at three doses of radiotherapy. (2)The levels of the 6 cytokines in both saliva and peripheral blood at DT=40Gy increased remarkably compared with those at DT=0 Gy (P(IL-10 in blood)=0.003, P=0.000). (3) The level of IL-10 increased in the saliva and peripheral blood at DT=70 Gy, whereas the levels of IFN-g、TNF-α、IL-2、IL-6 decreased compared with those at DT=0 Gy (P=0.000). The level of IL-4 in the saliva at DT=70 Gy was lower than that at DT=0 Gy (P=0.000), .Conclusion: On the progress of acute radiation-induced stomatitis of the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radical radiotherapy, the levels of IFN-g、TNF-α、IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、IL-10 in the saliva were remarkably higher than those in peripheral blood. Except IL-4, the change of the five cytokines was similar in saliva and blood, which were associated with the pathogenesis of stomatitis.

Key words: Radiation-induced stomatitis, Saliva, Peripheral blood, Inflammatory cytokines