title: Perioperative HDR brachytherapy for reirradiation in head and neck recurrences: single-institution experience and systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients reirradiated with high-dose-rate (HDR) intensity-modulated brachytherapy (IMBT) for recurrent head and neck cancer and to perform a systematic review of the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients treated with prior radiation doses >65 Gy were considered. After resection of macroscopic disease, catheters were fixed to the tumor bed. The total dose was 30 Gy in 12 fractions of 2.5 Gy twice daily for 5 days a week. A systematic literature search was conducted through several electronic databases including Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane library.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients were included; median overall survival was 19 months with a median local control interval of 15 months. Median follow-up was 36 months. Seven papers were considered for the review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IMBT could play an important role in the retreatment of recurrent head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bussu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fionda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rigante
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gambacorta
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Autorino
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miccichè
authors.affiliation: Physics Institute, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Placidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paludetti
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Brachytherapy Unit, University of Lübeck and University Hospital S-H, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck - Germany.
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University, Rome - Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods*; D000069475:Re-Irradiation / Q000379:methods