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HDR interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy) in the treatment of primary and recurrent head and neck malignancies
Author(s) -
Bussu Francesco,
Tagliaferri Luca,
Mattiucci Giancarlo,
Parrilla Claudio,
Rizzo Davide,
Gambacorta Maria Antonietta,
Lancellotta Valentina,
Autorino Rosa,
Fonnesu Carla,
Kihlgren Caterina,
Galli Jacopo,
Paludetti Gaetano,
Kovács György,
Valentini Vincenzo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.25646
Subject(s) - medicine , brachytherapy , radiation therapy , head and neck , cohort , radiology , homogeneous , radiation treatment planning , overall survival , oncology , medical physics , surgery , physics , thermodynamics
Background Interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy; IRT) reemerged in the last decades as a potentially useful tool in head and neck oncology after a set of clear technical improvements were developed. Methods Sixty‐one high dose ratio (HDR) IRT treatments were recommended and performed on 58 patients. We classified the cases into four relatively homogeneous groups based on the clinical needs that led to the recommended IRT. Also, we separately evaluated primary and recurrent cases. Results Disease‐specific survival was significantly different among the four treatment groups. The group with the best prognosis was the cohort treated locally by exclusive interstitial IRT for resectable midface malignancies (2‐year relapse‐free survival = 82%, disease‐specific survival = 89%). Conclusion HDR IRT is a valuable tool in well‐defined clinical situations and, in particular, in recurrences. In midface malignancies, it could become the preferred primary treatment.