title: Comparison of interstitial brachytherapy and surgery as primary treatments for nasal vestibule carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Squamous cell carcinoma arising from the nasal vestibule is a rare condition accounting for about 1% of head and neck malignancies with several peculiarities concerning both staging and treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the oncological and functional results of two different treatment modalities for the primary site: surgery and brachytherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series with the comparison of two different treatment modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluate clinical and survival data of 12 untreated patients, enrolled by a multidisciplinary tumor board, comparing oncological, functional, and esthetic results after surgery or after interstitial brachytherapy as exclusive treatments for the primary site. The functional and esthetic outcome was subjectively rated by the patients using a five-point scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Locoregional control and survival are not significantly different between patients primarily treated by surgery and by brachytherapy. The functional and esthetic outcome, as assessed by the degree of satisfaction of the patients, is significantly better after primary brachytherapy than after primary surgery (P = .014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience brachytherapy, accomplished in close cooperation between surgeons and radiation oncologists, achieves oncological results that are not different from surgery, but with a higher degree of patient satisfaction, mainly due to the esthetic outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  4.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bussu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parrilla
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dinapoli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miccichè
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Artuso
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almadori
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paludetti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Nasal vestibule carcinoma; brachytherapy; columella carcinoma; nose reconstruction; total rhinectomy