Hi Dave --

I don't have much to add from what JoAnne wrote other than my husband Barry took amifostine (Ethyol) all through treatment, he also was diligent about the hydration beforehand and also, took (as recommended by Medimmune, the manufacturer) a powerful antinausea drug (Zofran) 90 minutes before the injections (yes, two of them, each 250 mg, one in each arm).

He did not take the Ethyol on chemotherapy days, the docs said it would not change the effectiveness but would reduce the chence of the lingering nausea which causes many to quit the drug.

Does it work? It did for Barry. He had stage III/IV tonsil, base of tongue and two nodes SCC and his radiation plan should have pretty much knocked out his right parotid, per his RO. But it didn't, the right salivary gland is functioning and producing saliva and this was almost certainly due to the amifostine, according to his dental oncologist (an expert on saliva and radiation side-effects). There is also recent data showing reduction in mucositis and Barry also had less mucositis than most and could eat all the way through treatment.

It is a nasty drug and hard to handle, but worth trying. Barry says it was much worse than the chemo, but he has never regretted taking it.

Gail