Elective radiotherapy of the neck in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
A prospectively recorded 5-year series of 254 patients receiving elective neck irradiation is evaluated. All had clinically negative necks and initial control at the primary site. Forty-seven percent of the patients had T3-4 tumours. Radiotherapy was delivered from a megavolt source at 2 Gy/day 5 days a week to a total dose of 46-50 Gy. All but 3 patients completed the treatment as planned. Neither tumour stage nor site of the primary tumour was related to the incidence of regional recurrences. Of 30 patients receiving 46-49 Gy, 5 died from neck node recurrences. Of 221 patients treated to 50 Gy or more, 16 (7.2%) developed regional recurrences. Two of these recurrences were avoided, giving a regional failure rate of 6.3%. As a whole, 7.8% died from regional, 11.4% from local, and 3.1% from distant recurrences.
Boysen
M
M
Department of Otolaryngology, National Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
Lövdal
O
O
Söberg
R
R
Jacobsen
A B
AB
Tausjö
J
J
Evensen
J F
JF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D013997:Time Factors