High-dose rate intracavitary radiation therapy for advanced head and neck tumors.

Fifty-seven treatments were performed on 27 head and neck pateints with recurrent or residual tumors on a high dose rate, remote controlled afterloading unit: There were 16 cases of maxillary sinus tumors, 6 epipharynx, 3 alveolar ridge, 1 hard palate and 1 floor of mouth. All patients have been followed up more than 2 years except one. Five patients are alive without local recurrence for more than 2 years. In 13 patients local tumors disappeared once and normal mucosa covered the tumor sites. Two patients died from local bleeding. In six patients this method failed to destroy tumors. Our prupose was palliative local control: therefore, in two-thirds of cases treated we were successful with this easy method of nonfractionated acute intracavitary radiation. This result is favorable, considering that all cases treated here were failures following full dose external radiation, although the treatment had to be repeated more than twice in 15 cases. Relief of symptoms is excellent when this therapy is used.