[Radiation therapy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma: impact of fractionation on treatment outcome].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of fractionation on the treatment outcome of radiation therapy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
Thirty-six inoperable or operation-refused hypopharyngeal patients were treated with curative-intended radiation therapy between 1976 and May 2001. Seventeen patients were treated with conventional radiation therapy, 1.8-2.0 Gy per fraction, totaling 64.0 Gy (CF group), and 19 were treated with hyperfractionated radiation therapy, 1.2 Gy per fraction, totaling 74.4 Gy (HF group).


RESULTS
The radiation response of the two groups at the end of radiation therapy was almost the same. However, the 2-year local control rates of the HF and CF groups were 59.0% and 26.1% (p = 0.012), respectively, a statistically significant difference. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that HF was an independent prognostic factor for local control.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperfractionated radiation therapy was superior to conventional radiation therapy for local control. Local control of hypopharyngeal carcinoma correlated with laryngeal preservation, suggesting that hyperfractionated radiation therapy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma could be beneficial for patient QOL.
Niibe
Yuzuru
Y
Department of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital.
Karasawa
Katsuyuki
K
Igaki
Hiroshi
H
Miyashita
Hisao
H
Tanaka
Yoshiaki
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome