Treatment of early tongue carcinoma with brachytherapy: results over a 25-year period.
BACKGROUND
Brachytherapy for patients with early tongue cancer is an accepted method of treatment.


METHODS
The records of 409 patients with T1/2N0M0 tongue cancer treated with brachytherapy between 1978 and 2004 were reviewed.


RESULTS
The overall and disease-free 5-year survival rates were 82.3% and 64.6% for patients with T1 disease, and 72.2% and 56.0% for patients with T2 disease, respectively. The 5-year nodal metastasis-free survival rates for patients treated between 1978 and 1986, 1987 and 1996, and 1997 and 2004 were 64.8%, 74.8% and 81.3% for patients with T1 disease (p=0.22), and 47.4%, 70.4% and 76.4% for patients with T2 disease (p=0.0011), respectively. The 5-year local recurrence-free survival rates for patients treated between 1978 and 1986, 1987 and 1996, and 1997 and 2004 were 91.0%, 84.0% and 96.9% for patients with T1 disease (p=0.31), and 87.6%, 83.3% and 85.8% for patients with T2 disease (p=0.90), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence rate of nodal metastasis in patients with early tongue cancer improved over the 25-year period studied, while the local recurrence-free survival rates remained stable.
Urashima
Yusuke
Y
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Nakamura
Katsumasa
K
Shioyama
Yoshiyuki
Y
Nomoto
Satoru
S
Ohga
Saiji
S
Toba
Takashi
T
Yoshitake
Tadamasa
T
Chikui
Toru
T
Kawazu
Toshiyuki
T
Jingu
Kenichi
K
Terashima
Hiromi
H
Honda
Hiroshi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome