Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy With Concurrent Chemotherapy for Previously Irradiated, Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2007 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.04.057· OSTI ID:21039617

Harvey, Mark ^[1]; Roman, Eloy; Raez, Luis E ^[2]; Wolfson, Aaron H ^[1]; Mutyala, Subhakar ^[3]; Han, Hyo S ^[2]; Markoe, Arnold ^[1]

---

1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL (United States)
2. Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL (United States)
3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, New York, NY (United States)

Purpose: Primary treatment fails in >70% of locally advanced head and neck cancer patients. Salvage therapy has a 30-40% response rate, but few long-term survivors. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has recently emerged as a new modality for salvage therapy. This retrospective study evaluated our experience using every-other-week IMRT with concurrent chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: Between 2001 and 2006, 41 patients underwent IMRT as repeat RT with concurrent chemotherapy. All but 6 patients received 60 Gy at 2 Gy/fraction. RT was delivered on an alternating week schedule. Results: With a median follow-up time of 14 months, the overall response rate was 75.6%, with a complete response and partial response rate of 58.5% and 17.1%, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of overall survival, disease-free survival, and progression-free survival at 24 months was 48.7%, 48.1%, and 38%, respectively. Patients who underwent surgery as a part of their salvage therapy had a mean estimated survival of 30.9 months compared with 22.8 months for patients who received only chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.126). Grade 3 or 4 acute toxicities occurred in 31.7% of patients, but all had resolved within 2 months of therapy completion. No deaths occurred during treatment, except for 1 patient, who died shortly after discontinuing treatment early because of previously undiagnosed metastatic disease; 6 patients had long-term complications. Conclusions: Concurrent chemotherapy with repeat radiotherapy with IMRT given every other week appears to be both well tolerated and feasible in patients treated with previous radiotherapy for recurrent head and neck cancer. IMRT represents a reasonable modality for reducing treatment-related toxicities in a repeat RT setting.

• OSTI ID: 21039617
• Journal Information: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Journal Name: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 69; ISSN IOBPD3; ISSN 0360-3016
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
CARCINOMAS
CHEMOTHERAPY
COMBINED THERAPY
DEATH
HEAD
IRRADIATION
METASTASES
NECK
PATIENTS
RADIOTHERAPY
SURGERY
TOXICITY