Initial clinical experience with helical tomotherapy for head and neck cancer.
BACKGROUND
To report a single-institutional experience with the use of helical tomotherapy (HT)-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer.


METHODS
Seventy-seven consecutive patients were treated with HT for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck to a median dose of 66 Gy (range, 60 to 72 Gy). Megavoltage CT scans were obtained as part of an image-guided registration protocol for patient alignment before each treatment. Concurrent chemotherapy was administered to 48 patients (62%).


RESULTS
The 2-year estimates of overall survival, local-regional control, and disease-free survival were 82%, 77%, and 71%, respectively. Spatial evaluation of local-regional failures revealed that 16 of the 18 patients who progressed in the primary site or neck failed in the high-dose planning target volume (PTV).


CONCLUSIONS
HT appears to achieve clinical outcomes comparable to contemporary series reporting on IMRT for head and neck cancer.
Chen
Allen M
AM
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. allen.chen@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Jennelle
Richard L S
RL
Sreeraman
Radhika
R
Yang
Claus C
CC
Liu
Tianxiao
T
Vijayakumar
Srinivasan
S
Purdy
James A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome