TY - JOUR
T1 - Palliative radiation therapy for head and neck cancer
T2 - Toward an optimal fractionation scheme
AU - Chen, Allen M.
AU - Vaughan, Andrew T M
AU - Narayan, Samir
AU - Vijayakumar, Srinivasan
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Background. To analyze the efficacy of various fractionation schedules for the palliation of head and neck cancer with radiation therapy. Methods. Sixty patients completed palliative irradiation to primary head and neck sites. The most commonly used fractionation regimen was the one previously described by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocol 85-02 and was designed to deliver 440 cGy using 370 cGy fractionation, administered twice a day for 2 consecutive days at 2- to 3-week intervals for 3 total cycles. Results. The rates of palliative response were 83%, 77%, 67%, 86%, and 60% among those treated using the RTOG regimen, 7000 cGy/35 fractions, 3000 cGy/10 fractions, 3750 cGy/ 15 fractions, and 2000 cGy/5 fractions, respectively (p = .42). Nine percent (2/23) of those treated with the RTOG regimen developed grade 3+ toxicity compared with 37% among those treated with other schedules (p = .01). Conclusion. Although all of the analyzed schedules were effective at providing palliation, the RTOG 85-02 regimen was associated with less toxicity.
AB - Background. To analyze the efficacy of various fractionation schedules for the palliation of head and neck cancer with radiation therapy. Methods. Sixty patients completed palliative irradiation to primary head and neck sites. The most commonly used fractionation regimen was the one previously described by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocol 85-02 and was designed to deliver 440 cGy using 370 cGy fractionation, administered twice a day for 2 consecutive days at 2- to 3-week intervals for 3 total cycles. Results. The rates of palliative response were 83%, 77%, 67%, 86%, and 60% among those treated using the RTOG regimen, 7000 cGy/35 fractions, 3000 cGy/10 fractions, 3750 cGy/ 15 fractions, and 2000 cGy/5 fractions, respectively (p = .42). Nine percent (2/23) of those treated with the RTOG regimen developed grade 3+ toxicity compared with 37% among those treated with other schedules (p = .01). Conclusion. Although all of the analyzed schedules were effective at providing palliation, the RTOG 85-02 regimen was associated with less toxicity.
KW - Fractionation
KW - Head and neck cancer
KW - Palliation
KW - Prognosis
KW - Radiation therapy
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U2 - 10.1002/hed.20894
DO - 10.1002/hed.20894
M3 - Article
C2 - 18798313
AN - SCOPUS:57349187946
VL - 30
SP - 1586
EP - 1591
JO - Head and Neck Surgery
JF - Head and Neck Surgery
SN - 0148-6403
IS - 12
ER -