title: Radiation therapy for head and neck cancers in the elderly.
abstract: Three hundred and thirty-one patients, aged more than 70 years, were treated for an upper aerodigestive tract carcinoma from 1978 to 1983. Larynx accounted for 28% of the primary sites, oropharynx for 27%, and the oral cavity for 16%. One-third of these patients had a contraindication to anesthesia. The treatment was consistent with our protocols in only half of the cases. Fifty-nine patients underwent a radiosurgical combination; 249 underwent an exclusive irradiation with a curative intent. Fifty-four patients underwent a palliative irradiation, which lead up to a "curative dose" in half of the cases. The immediate and long-term tolerance of the irradiation was good. The local control was 71% for patients treated with a curative intent and 19% for the palliatively irradiated patients. Five-year survival of the population was 33%. No significant relationship between age, general status, and the carcinologic outcome could be observed.
authors.affiliation: Département de Radiothérapie, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lusinchi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bourhis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wibault
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Le Ridant
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eschwege
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate