Comparison of three major radioactive sources for brachytherapy used in the treatment of node negative T1-T3 oral tongue cancer: influence of age on outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy of major radioactive sources used in brachytherapy and the influence of age.


METHODS
Six hundred and forty-eight patients with node negative oral tongue cancer (T1-3NOMO; 212T1, 352T2, 84T3) treated at Osaka University Hospital, between 1967 and 1999, were reviewed.


RESULTS
The 5-year local control rates for patients treated with Ra-226 and Ir-192 were 85%, and 79% for Ti, 75% and 73% for T2, 62% and 64% for T3 tumors, respectively, and for those in the MicroSelectron-high-dose-rate (MS-HDR) group were 87% for T1, 79% for T2 and 89% for T3. Patients 65 years of age or older attained lower 5-year local control rates (67% for total cases; 72% for Ti, 68% for T2 and 59% for T3) than their younger counterparts (79%, 86%, 77% and 69%; p=0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
The three major radioactive sources produced results that were not significantly different, and age proved to be a factor influencing outcomes.
Yamazaki
Hideya
H
Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Hoenzaka 2-1-14 Chuo-ku, Osaka city, Osaka 540-0006 Japan. hideya10@hotmail.com
Inoue
Takehiro
T
Yoshida
Ken
K
Yoshioka
Yasuo
Y
Furukawa
Souhei
S
Kakimoto
Naoya
N
Shimizutani
Kimishige
K
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome