Curative radiotherapy for early cancers of the lip, buccal mucosa, and nose--a simple interstitial brachytherapy technique employing angiocatheters as carriers for Iridium-192 wire implants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate treatment outcomes following interstitial brachytherapy for cancers of the lip, buccal mucosa, or nose.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Regional hospital, Hong Kong.


METHODS
A cohort of 13 patients treated uniformly by a simple interstitial brachytherapy technique employing plastic angiocatheters as carriers for Iridium-192 wires: all but one patient had T1 or T2 tumours and all but one had N0 disease.


METHODS
Local and loco-regional control rates.


RESULTS
Six of the 13 patients received external radiotherapy prior to interstitial brachytherapy. A median brachytherapy dose of 70 Gy was delivered to those treated with brachytherapy alone, while 35 Gy was delivered after a median external radiotherapy dose of 50 Gy to those receiving combined treatment. The 3-year actuarial local control rate was 75%. No significant late complications were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Employing a simple brachytherapy technique using angiocatheters and Iridium-192 wires, in conjunction with external radiotherapy when appropriate, produces good outcomes for patients with early lip, nasal vestibule, and buccal mucosa cancers.
Ngan
R K C
RK
Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong. ngankc@ha.org.hk
Wong
R K Y
RK
Tang
F N F
FN
Tang
D L C
DL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes