title: Long term results of PDR brachytherapy for lip cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long time outcome with regard to local tumour control and side effects of a pulsed dose rate (PDR) monobrachytherapy of primary or recurrent cancer of the lip.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1995 and 2007 we treated 43 patients with primary or recurrent clinical T1-T3N0 lip cancers. There were 22 T1 patients (51%), 16 T2 (37%) and 5 T3 cases (12%). A median dose of 60 (55-66) Gy was given, depending on the tumour volume. The PDR treatment was delivered with 0.83 Gy/pulse every second hour for 5.5-6.5 days. The patients were followed for a median of 55 (1-158) months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2-, 5- and 10-year rates of actuarial local control were 97.6%, 94.5% and 94.5%, overall survival 88.0%, 58.9% and 39.1%, disease free survival 92.7%, 86.4% and 86.4% respectively. The regional control rate was 93%. One patient (2%) developed distant metastases. A dosimetrical analysis showed a mean treated volume of 14.9 (3.0-56.2) cm3. Long-term side effects were mild and the cosmetic outcome excellent, except for 1 case (2%) of soft tissue necrosis and 1 case (2%) of osteoradionecrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local outcome is excellent and similar to other published studies of continuous low dose rate (cLDR) brachytherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Örebro University Hospital and Örebro University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Örebro University Hospital and Örebro University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardell
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Örebro University Hospital and Örebro University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Persliden
keywords: PDR; brachytherapy; lip cancer