[Accelerated radiotherapy: initial results in a series of locally very advanced carcinomas of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts].
From 1992 to 1993, 46 patients with very locally advanced (74% T4) head and neck carcinomas and extensive cervical involvement (82% N2-3) were treated at the Institute Gustave Roussy with a very accelerated radiotherapy regimen: 62 Gy in three weeks with two daily 1.75 Gy fractions. Early mucosal reactions were severe but manageable in this population of patients with frequent alteration of initial performance status. Nearly every patient experienced a grade 3 or 4 (WHO) mucositis and 80% required tube feeding. Follow-up is not sufficient to draw firm conclusion about late reactions but they do not seem different from those induced by conventional radiotherapy. The overall 2-year survival rate of 49.4% and loco-regional control rate of 67% seem superior to the results of conventional radiotherapy for such advanced tumors. These results have led to a multi-center randomized controlled trial comparing this regimen of accelerated radiotherapy with conventional fractionated radiotherapy.
Dupuis
O
O
Département de Radiothérapie, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif.
Bourhis
J
J
Attal
P
P
Lusinchi
A
A
Julieron
M
M
Domenge
C
C
Marandas
P
P
Schwaab
G
G
Bobin
S
S
Luboinski
B
B
Wibault
P
P
Eschwege
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013997:Time Factors