title: Three-dimensional conformal postoperative radiotherapy in patients with parotid tumors: 10 years' experience at the European Institute of Oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Salivary gland malignancies are rare. The aim of our study was to investigate radiotherapy-related toxicity and clinical outcome in patients treated at our division with postoperative radiotherapy (pRT) for parotid tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three consecutive patients (32 with primary parotid tumors, 9 with parotid metastases and 2 with recurrent benign diseases) were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up was 28 months. Twenty and 5 patients had a follow-up longer than 2 and 5 years, respectively. Thirty-seven patients were alive and most of them (78%) were free from disease. The local and distant control rates were higher in patients with primary parotid tumors (94% and 87.5%) than in patients with parotid metastases (87.5% and 75%). Grade 3 radiotherapy-related acute toxicity of skin and mucosa was recorded in 20.9% and 28% of patients, respectively. Two patients (4.7%) had grade 4 skin toxicity. Late toxicity data were available for 33 (77%) patients. None of the patients developed severe (grade 3 and 4) late toxicity of soft tissues, skin or temporomandibular joints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative radiotherapy is a feasible treatment that was found to be effective mainly in patients with primary parotid tumors. Toxicity was acceptable but could probably be further reduced using more advanced radiotherapy techniques. Longer follow-up is required to achieve definitive results.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. Daniela.alterio@ieo.it
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alterio
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Jereczek-Fossa
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griseri
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.forename: Gioacchino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giugliano
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vitolo
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fossati
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piperno
authors.forename: Luca S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verri
authors.forename: Fausto G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orecchia
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003536:Cystadenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005060:Europe; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000528:radiation effects; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome