High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for mobile tongue cancer: influence of the non-irradiated period.
BACKGROUND
It has been demonstrated that the outcome of primary radiotherapy in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck is strongly influenced by overall treatment time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of high-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) for early mobile tongue cancer and to examine whether the non-irradiated period affected treatment results.


METHODS
Seventy-one patients with early mobile tongue cancer (T1-T2N0M0) were treated with HDR ISBT alone. The total dose was 54-60 Gy/9-10 fractions/5-9 days. All patients were classified into 4 groups: R0, maximum non-irradiated period (NIP) was less than 24 h (n=16); R1, maximum NIP was from 24 to 48 h (n=24); R2, maximum NIP was from 48 to 72 h (n=26); R3, maximum NIP was from 72 to 96 h (n=5).


RESULTS
The 3-year local control rate was 94% in R0, 83% in R1, 85% in R2 and 100% in R3. The 3-year overall survival rate was 84% in R0, 92% in R1, 71% in R2 and 80% in R3. There was no significant difference in the local control rate, overall survival rate, or complications among the 4 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In HDR ISBT for early mobile tongue cancer, the non-irradiated period did not affect the treatment results or complications.
Kakimoto
Naoya
N
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. kakimoto@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
Inoue
Takehiro
T
Inoue
Toshihiko
T
Murakami
Shumei
S
Furukawa
Souhei
S
Yoshida
Ken
K
Yoshioka
Yasuo
Y
Yamazaki
Hideya
H
Tanaka
Eiichi
E
Shimizutani
Kimishige
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome