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Stereotactic body radiotherapy for medically unfit patients with cancers to the head and neck
Author(s) -
AlAssaf Hossam,
Erler Darby,
Karam Irene,
Lee Justin W.,
Higgins Kevin,
Enepekides Danny,
Zhang Liying,
Eskander Antoine,
Poon Ian
Publication year - 2020
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.26138
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , head and neck , retrospective cohort study , cohort , dose fractionation , surgery , head and neck cancer , overall survival , radiosurgery , radiology
Background A single institutional experience of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to medically unfit patients with unresectable head and neck cancers (HNCs). Methods A retrospective review of HNC patients undergoing SBRT was undertaken from 2011 to 2016 for fractionation ranges between 35 and 50 Gy in 4 to 6 fractions. Results One hundred and fourteen patients with 117 SBRT courses were included with mean follow‐up of 10.5 months. The cohort consisted of previously untreated primary HNC (n = 48), recurrent never irradiated HNC (n = 19), oligometastatic (n = 17) non‐HNC primaries and previously irradiated HNC (n = 33). Local control (LC) at 12 months and median progression free survival was 85.8%, 78.2%, 85%, 78.9% ( P = .86) and 23.7, 14.8, 10.5 and 7.8 months ( P = .04) respectively. Only one patient had an acute grade 4 toxicity, two patients had grade 4 late toxicities. Conclusions HNC SBRT is an effective treatment for frail patients where longer LC is relevant but are unable to tolerate protracted radiation schedules.