ORIGINAL ARTICLE OUTCOMES FOLLOWING REIRRADIATION OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Abstract: Background. This study reports the outcomes for patients with head and neck cancer who received reirradiation with palliative or curative intent. Methods. A retrospective review of 41 patients treated with curative (n 5 28) or palliative (n 5 13) reirradiation was con-ducted. Survival was calculated from the start of the reirradia-tion. Radiation-related toxicities were classified according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Disease-related problems included adverse events during or after reirradiation that were not directly related to reirradiation. Results. The observed 1-year survival for all patients was 39.0 % (23.0 % palliative, 46.3 % curative). Median survival for all patients was 10.2 months. Seventy-five percent of curative and 53.8 % of palliative patients had grade 3 or 4 radiation-related toxicities and/or major disease-related problems. Conclusion. A second course of radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer should be offered with a clear under-standing that survival is poor and many of these patients will suf-fer severe radiation-related or disease-related insults to their quality of life during and after treatment. VC 2008 Wiley Periodi