In vivo cell kinetic measurements in a randomized trial of continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy with or without mitomycin C in head-and-neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor cell repopulation is still considered to be a major cause of failure in radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the influence of cell kinetic parameters on the outcome of patients treated in a randomized trial of accelerated fractionation, with or without mitomycin C, vs. conventional fractionation.


METHODS
Sixty-two patients were studied using administration of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), and cell kinetic parameters were measured using flow cytometry. The patients were treated with either 70 Gy for 7 weeks or 55.3 Gy for 17 continuous days (V-CHART) with or without 20 mg/m(2) mitomycin C on day 5.


RESULTS
The potential doubling time (Tpot) and labeling index (LI) failed to provide any prognostic information with regard to local control or survival. However, the duration of the S phase (Ts) revealed patients whose tumors had a long Ts had significantly worse local control (p = 0.028) and survival (p = 0.034) irrespective of treatment. A similar trend was evident within the different treatment arms particularly associated with overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The Ts values of head-and-neck squamous cell cancers provided prognostic information that predicted clinical outcome irrespective of treatment schedule in this study. This neglected parameter of the Tpot method might provide information related to redistribution of cells during fractionated radiotherapy.
Dobrowsky
Werner
W
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiobiology, Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Dobrowsky
Eva
E
Wilson
George D
GD
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011003:Ploidies; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D016685:Mitomycin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine