ORIGINAL ARTICLE EARLY EXPERIENCE WITH A HYBRID ACCELERATED RADIOTHERAPY SCHEDULE FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Abstract: Background. Our aim was to determine feasibility and efficacy of a hybrid radiotherapy schedule in locally advanced head and neck cancer. Methods. Seventy-three patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer were irradiated according to a hybrid accelerated schedule consisting of 20 fractions of 2 Gy (once daily), followed by 20 fractions of 1.6 Gy (twice daily), to a total dose of 72 Gy. Results. Locoregional control was 55 % after 2 years. Overall survival was 59%, disease-specific survival was 63%, and dis-ease-free survival was 46%. Acute toxicity was prospectively scored in all 73 patients: the most frequent toxicities were muco-sitis (50.7%, grade 3), dysphagia (47.9%, grade 3), and derma-titis (34.5%, grade 3). All patients were treated to full dose, with-out treatment interruption. Conclusion. With this regimen, acceptable locoregional con-trol and survival rates are achieved. Toxicity was well managea-ble, suggesting that a combination of this schedule with con-comitant chemotherapy is possible and could lead to further improvement in the treatment of locally advanced head an