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Purpose To assess, through a retrospective review, clinical outcomes of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil treated at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with unilateral radiotherapy techniques that irradiate the involved tonsil region and ipsilateral neck only. Methods and Materials Of 901 patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil treated with radiotherapy at our institution, we identified 102 that were treated using unilateral radiotherapy techniques. All patients had their primary site of disease restricted to the tonsillar fossa or anterior pillar, with n = 17 patients), T1 ( n = 52), or T2 ( n = 33) disease, with Nx ( n = 3), N0 ( n = 33), N1 ( n = 23), N2a ( n = 21), or N2b ( n = 22) neck disease. Results Sixty-one patients (60%) underwent diagnostic tonsillectomy before radiotherapy. Twenty-seven patients (26%) underwent excision of a cervical lymph node or neck dissection before radiotherapy. Median follow-up for surviving patients was 38 months. Locoregional control at the primary site and ipsilateral neck was 100%. Two patients experienced contralateral nodal recurrence (2%). The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 95% and 96%, respectively. The 5-year freedom from contralateral nodal recurrence rate was 96%. Nine patients required feeding tubes during therapy. Of the 2 patients with contralateral recurrence, 1 experienced an isolated neck recurrence and was salvaged with contralateral neck dissection only and remains alive and free of disease. The other patient presented with a contralateral base of tongue tumor and involved cervical lymph node, which may have represented a second primary tumor, and died of disease. Conclusions Unilateral radiotherapy for patients with TX–T2, N0–N2b primary tonsil carcinoma results in high rates of disease control, with low rates of contralateral nodal failure and a low incidence of acute toxicity requiring gastrostomy.

Purpose: Comparison of quality of life (QoL) and side effects in a randomized trial for early hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) after radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: From 2006, 19 patients with tumor originating from the tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate (15), base of tongue (1), and nasopharynx (3) were randomized to receive HBOT or not. HBOT consisted of 30 sessions at 2.5 ATA (15 msw) with oxygen breathing for 90 min daily, 5 days per week, applied shortly after the RT treatment was completed. As of 2005, all patients received validated questionnaires (i.e., the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC] QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ Head and Neck Cancer Module (H&N35), Performance Status Scale): before treatment; at the start of RT treatment; after 46 Gy; at the end of RT treatment; and 2, 4, and 6 weeks and 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after follow-up. Results: On all QoL items, better scores were obtained in patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen. The difference between HBOT vs. non-HBOT was significant for all parameters: EORTC H&N35 Swallowing (p = 0.011), EORTC H&N35 Dry Mouth (p = 0.009), EORTC H&N35 Sticky Saliva (p = 0.01), PSS Eating in Public (p 0.027), and Pain in Mouth (visual analogue scale; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Patients randomized for receiving hyperbaric oxygen after the RT had better QoL scores for swallowing, sticky saliva, xerostomia, and pain in mouth. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc.

Purpose To report on the tumor control, adverse late normal tissue sequelae, and functional performance in patients with tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate (SP) tumors. The aim of the study is to validate the use of a more selective clinical target volume in conjunction with highly conformal radiotherapy (RT) techniques to better spare the surrounding normal tissues. Methods and materials Between 1986 and 2001, T1-T3 tonsillar fossa/SP tumors were treated in the Erasmus Medical Center using external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to 46 Gy in 2-Gy fractions to the primary tumor and neck, followed by brachytherapy (BT) to the primary. Neck dissection was performed for node-positive disease (BT group; 104 patients). If BT was not feasible, patients underwent surgery and postoperative RT (PORT) to a dose of 50–70 Gy in 2-Gy fractions (surgery group; 86 patients). Local control, regional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival were determined. Late side effects were scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for regional failure (RF), with the parameters gender, age, site, TN stage, modality, dose, and overall treatment time. Recurrences in the contralateral neck were also related to significant ipsilateral involvement of the base of tongue and/or involvement of the SP crossing the midline. To determine the performance status scale scores and degree of xerostomia, a survey was conducted among patients living with no evidence of disease and a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. For that purpose, a research nurse interviewed patients regarding eating in public, normalcy of diet, normalcy of speech, and xerostomia. Results The tumor control rates after BT vs. surgery at 5 years were 88% vs. 88% for local control; 93% vs. 85% for regional control; 57% vs. 52% for disease-free survival; 67% vs. 57% for overall survival; and 5% vs. 6% for RF. No patient had RF in the contralateral untreated N0 neck (0 of 14 vs. 0 of 15). Multivariate Cox regression analysis for RF was statistically significant for Stage T2 vs. T3 (hazard ratio 0.09) and for the dose to the neck >46 Gy (hazard ratio, 8.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–57.1). The significant late side effects in the BT group vs. surgery group were ulcer in 39% vs. 7% (p = 0.001) and trismus in 1% vs. 21% (p = 0.005). The performance status scale scores and response to questions regarding xerostomia for BT vs. surgery revealed no statistically significant differences for eating in public, normalcy of diet, normalcy of speech, and xerostomia. The mean visual analog score for xerostomia was 5.5 in the BT group vs. 6 in the surgery group. conclusion Excellent locoregional control was obtained in T1-T3 tonsillar fossa and/or SP tumors. The rate at 10 years was 84% (BT group) vs. 78% (surgery group). However, adverse late side effects were not negligible. In addition to modality-specific side effects (ulcer/trismus), both treatment groups were significantly affected by xerostomia. Only 6 recurrences (4%) were observed in the 149 electively treated contralateral necks, and no relapses were seen in the 29 untreated contralateral necks. We, therefore, suggest that it is not necessary to treat the contralateral neck, unless the tumor extends beyond the midline of the soft palate (uvula) or beyond the lateral one-third of the ipsilateral base of the tongue. Moreover, with the currently available CT-based neck level definitions, more conformal contours (i.e., tighter boundaries) around the clinical target volume can be designed. In this way, critical structures such as the temporomandibular joint and part of the pterygoid muscles can be avoided more easily. Also, when using highly conformal treatment techniques (e.g., intensity-modulated RT), one can further reduce the dose to the major salivary glands and oral mucosa. We believe these measures will lead to less trismus and less xerostomia.

Purpose Locoregional control rates, late normal tissue sequelae, and functional outcome scores have not been different for tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate tumors treated by either brachytherapy (BT) or surgery in an organ function preservation protocol. For additional prioritizing in clinical decision-making, we focused on a comparison of the full hospital costs of the different treatment options. Methods and materials Between 1986 and 2001, tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate tumors were treated by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to the primary tumor and neck, followed by fractionated BT to the primary. Neck dissection (ND) was performed for node-positive disease (BT group; 104 patients). If BT was not feasible, resection combined with postoperative EBRT was executed (surgery group; 86 patients). Locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. The performance status scales, late side effects, and degree of xerostomia have been previously reported. This paper focused on the hospital and follow-up costs for the treatment groups EBRT and BT with or without ND compared with surgery followed by postoperative RT (PORT). Finally, these costs were also computed for future treatment strategies (e.g., better sparing of normal tissues by intensity-modulated RT [IMRT]). Results Locoregional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rate at 5 years for patients treated with EBRT and BT with or without ND vs. surgery plus PORT was 80% vs. 78%, 58% vs. 55%, and 67% vs. 57%, respectively. The major late side effect was xerostomia. Dry mouth syndrome affected the BT group and surgery group equally. The total costs for all treatment groups were €14,262 (BT group), €16,628 (BT plus ND group), €18,782 (surgery plus PORT group), €14,532 (IMRT group), and €16,897 (IMRT plus ND group). Conclusion Excellent locoregional tumor control was observed with either modality, with no statistically significant differences in the incidence of the most noted side effect xerostomia. The total costs for BT were less than for surgery: €16,628 ($19,452) for EBRT plus BT plus ND vs. €18,782 ($22,074) for surgery plus PORT. To reduce the morbidity of xerostomia, we propose further optimizing our organ function preservation protocol by implementing IMRT as a more conformal, tissue-sparing, RT technique. This is of particular interest because the costs of IMRT plus ND (€16,897; $19,767) were not very different from those for BT plus ND (€16,628; $19,452) and were far less than the costs for surgery.

Introduction: The treatment of midline tumors in the head and neck by conventional radiotherapy almost invariably results in xerostomia. This study analyzes whether a simple three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) technique with beam intensity modulation (BIM) (using a 10-MV beam of the MM50 Racetrack Microtron) can spare parotid and submandibular glands without compromising the dose distribution in the planning target volume (PTV). Methods: For 15 T2 tumors of the tonsillar fossa with extension into the soft palate (To) and 15 T3 tumors of the supraglottic larynx (SgL), conventional treatment plans, consisting of lateral parallel opposed beams, were used for irradiation of both the primary tumor (70 Gy) and the elective neck regions (46 Gy). Separately, for each tumor a 3-D conformal treatment plan was developed using the 3-D computer planning system, CadPlan, and Optimize, a noncommercial program to compute optimal beam profiles. Beam angles were selected with the intention of optimal sparing of the salivary glands. The intensity of the beams was then modulated to achieve a homogeneous dose distribution in the target for the given 3D-CRT techniques. The dose distributions, dose–volume histograms (DVHs) of target and salivary glands, tumor control probabilities (TCPs), salivary gland volumes absorbing a biologically equivalent dose of greater than 40 or 50 Gy, and normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCPs) of each treatment plan were computed. The parameters of the 3D-CRT plans were compared with those of the conventional plans. Results: In comparison with the conventional technique, the dose homogeneity in the target volume was improved by the conformal technique for both tumor sites. In addition, for the SgL conformal technique, the average volumes of the parotid glands absorbing a BED of greater than 40 Gy (V40) decreased by 23%, and of the submandibular glands by 7% (V40) and 6% (V50). Consequently, the average NTCPs for the parotid and submandibular glands were reduced by 7% and 6%, respectively. For the To conformal techniques, the V40 of the parotid glands was decreased on average by 31%, resulting in an average reduction of the NTCP by 49%. Both the average V50 and the NTCP of the submandibular glands were decreased by 7%. Conclusion: For primary tumors of the oropharynx, the parotid glands could be spared to a considerable degree with the 3D-CRT technique. However, particularly the ipsilateral submandibular gland could not be spared. For primary tumors of the larynx, the 3D-CRT technique allows sparing of all salivary glands to a considerable and probably clinically relevant degree. Moreover, the conformal techniques resulted in an increased dose homogeneity in the PTV of both tumor sites.

Purpose : To assess the efficacy of a concomitant boost fractionation schedule of radiotherapy for treating patients with squamous carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa. Patients and Methods : Between December 1983 and November 1992, 83 patients with squamous carcinoma of the tonsil were treated with concomitant boost fractionation. The distribution of American Joint Committee on Cancer T stages was TX-4, T1-5, T2-29, T3-41, T4-4; N stages were NX-1, N0-26, N1-13, N2-31, N3-12. Patients were treated with standard large fields to 54 Gy in 6 weeks. The boost treatment consisted of a second daily 1.5 Gy fraction for 10–12 fractions, usually delivered during the final phase of treatment. The tumor dose was 69–72 Gy, given over 6 weeks. Twenty-one patients, who all had N2 or N3 regional disease, underwent neck dissections, either before (13 patients) or 6 weeks after radiotherapy (8 patients); the other patients were treated with radiotherapy alone. Results : The 5-year actuarial disease-specific survival and overall survival rates were 71 and 60%, respectively. Patients with T2 and T3 primary tumors had 5-year actuarial local control rates of 96 and 78%, respectively. Patients with T3 disease who received the final-phase boost had a 5-year actuarial local control rate of 82%. Actuarial 5-year regional disease control rates were N0, 92%; N1, 76%; N2, 89%; and N3, 89%. The 21 patients who had neck dissections all had their disease regionally controlled. Patients presenting with nodal disease or after a node excision who were treated with radiation alone had a 5-year actuarial regional disease control rate of 79%. All but five patients had confluent Grade 4 mucositis during treatment. Severe late complications attributable to radiation included mandibular necrosis [1], in-field osteosarcoma [1], and chronic dysphagia for solid foods [5]. Conclusions : High rages of local and regional disease control were achieved with the concomitant boost fractionation schedule, with few cases of severe late morbidity. Patients with N2 and N3 neck disease were effectively treated with radiation and the selective use of neck dissections. The concomitant boost schedule is our preferred fractionation approach for treating patients with intermediate stage tonsil cancer who are not participating in our current research protocols.

(OPSCC) undergoing definitive concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) remains unclear. The purpose of this review was to examine these effects on survival outcomes among a single institute population. Materials/Methods: This retrospective review of OPSCC patients treated with CCRT between 2008 and 2015 was conducted. All tumors were examined for HPV 16/18 status (+/). Smoking status and other clinical characteristics were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Former smokers are patients who quit within a month of diagnosis or treatment. Descriptive summaries, overall survival (OS), and multivariate cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were completed. Results: Out of 134 patients, 94 patients (71%) had HPV-positive (HPV+) tumors. Age, gender, and overall stage were not statistically different between patients with HPV+ or HPV-negative (HPV-) tumors. HPV+ patients had higher tumor grade (P

Purpose To evaluate the outcomes of radiation therapy treatment of patients with Stage I and II squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx and discover adverse prognostic factors that may help select a subgroup of patients for a different management approach. Methods and materials A search of the database maintained by the Department of Radiation Oncology of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for patients with Stage I or II SCC of the oropharynx was performed. This search identified 175 patients treated between 1970 and 1998 who met the inclusion criteria for this retrospective study. Distribution of primary sites was: tonsillar fossa/pillar, 60 patients; soft palate, 55 patients; base of tongue, 40 patients; and pharyngeal wall, 20 patients. Twenty-five patients were stage T1, 124 were T2, and 26 were Tx. All patients were treated with fractionated radiation to a median dose of 66 Gy. Eighty-five patients were treated with conventionally fractionated radiation, 73 were treated with the concomitant boost fractionation schedule, and the remaining 17 were treated with other altered fractionation schedules or with intraoral or interstitial boosts. Results The median follow-up for all patients was 76 months (range, 2–302 months). The actuarial 5-year local control (LC), regional control, locoregional control (LRC), and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 85%, 93%, 81%, and 77%, respectively. Only 7 patients (5%) with LC developed nodal metastases, and 10 patients (7%) with LRC developed distant metastases. Eleven patients (32%) with locoregional recurrence were rendered without evidence of disease after a surgical salvage procedure, resulting in a 5- year ultimate LRC rate of 87%. T-stage classification was statistically significant ( p = 0.03) in univariate analysis for actuarial 5-year LRC, 88% for Stage I vs. 72% for Stage II. The 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates were 85% and 79%, respectively, while the actuarial 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 70% and 43%, respectively. Fifty-one patients (29%) developed second primary tumors, 86% of which were cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT). Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with both an increased risk of disease recurrence and development of a second cancer of the UADT. Conclusions Patients with early-stage oropharynx cancer have high rates of disease control when treated with radiation. Lymphatic and hematogenous metastases are uncommon. Surgical salvage of disease recurrence is successful in approximately one-third of patients. As the majority of recurrences occur within the first 2 years from treatment, close observation during this time period is important. The development of second primary tumors of the UADT adversely impacts survival in these patients to as great a degree as the index cancer.

There is perhaps no single time-related event that has produced more discussion, marketing opportunities, and various forms of hype than the “millennium.” From Y2K computer concerns to predictions of Armageddon, the end of this century carries a doubled call for reflection when compared to the transition at the end of the 19th century, the fin de siecle. Numerous articles and a burgeoning number of books have addressed the profound cultural, political, and scientific changes of the past 100 years. There is, however, only one century of radiation oncology, biology, and physics on which one might reflect. A very thoughtful and complete history of radiation oncology has been published as one of the three volumes edited by Gagliardi (1) for the centennial of Roentgen’s discovery of X-rays. A separate volume chronicles the developments in physics. A more panoramic view of these 20th century events may be in order. Cancer is a modern disease. That is not to say that cancer was not present in antiquity, but paleo-pathology studies have shown that cancer was decidedly uncommon until the industrial revolution. It was thought certainly to be a systemic disease until the mid-18th century. Decades after Henri Le Dran (1685–1770) published observations that led him to conclude that cancer could arise in a single organ and subsequently spread to regional lymph nodes and then to distant sites, it was Joseph Recamier (1774–1852) who coined the term metastasis to describe this phenomenon. This recognition of the local origin of cancer, combined with the development of anesthesia-based surgery, led during the 19th century to the first operations to remove the cancerous part. Theodur Billroth (1829–1894), a German surgeon who became the Professor in Vienna, performed the first esophagectomy (1872), laryngectomy (1873), partial gastrectomy (1881), and pancreatectomy (1894) to remove a cancerous tumor. The conceptual framework of Le Dran, adopted by Billroth and his students, went on to influence the mind-set that launched the field of radiation oncology in the 20th century. One of the landmark events occurred in the first decade of the 20th century, when Antoine Beclere (1856–1939) used X-rays to cure men with inoperable testicular seminoma. Before the roentgen was even accepted (1928) as a unit of radiation exposure, cancer of the cervix was being cured with intracavitary radium, inoperable carcinomas of the larynx and tonsillar fossa were being cured with X-rays, and long-term control of Hodgkin’s disease had been reported. By that time, Claudius Regaud and Henri Coutard had already documented the importance of fractionation in increasing the effectiveness of radiation therapy in eradicating cancer while decreasing effects on normal tissues. As megavoltage gamma rays and X-rays became available, the skin ceased to be the limiting normal tissue, and was replaced by deep-seated tissues traversed by the radiation beam. Avoidance of critical normal tissues required that square, rectangular, and round fields be discarded in favor of beam shaping—first by blocks of lead, then by Cerrobend, and now with multileaf collimators. At first, hand calculations of dose distributions were done based upon atlases of anatomy, then computed tomography permitted two-dimensional calculations for the anatomy and tumor characteristics of the individual patient. The shift to threedimensional treatment planning and dose calculations permitted realization and documentation of reconstructions that previously had been done only in the minds of the radiation oncologists. In a companion editorial, Eli Glatstein comments on some of these technological advances and what they have or have not contributed to improved tumor control and survival. What has all this accomplished? At the turn of the century, cancer caused 80 deaths for every 100,000 Americans; it was the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S. Now, as the century closes, cancer deaths have increased to 200/100,000 and cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a cause of death. Those who decry claims of progress in cancer treatment point to these data as a clear failure to win the “war on cancer” declared by President Nixon in 1971. However, that war was portrayed simplistically as analogous to the war on polio or putting a man on the moon. Cancer, with its diverse types, causes, and treatments, could not be approached with such narrow strategies. There have, however, been vast strides in the treatment of cancer in this century. At the turn of the century, cancer of

Purpose: To identify prognostic parameters and evaluate the therapeutic outcomes for patients with carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa treated with three treatment modalities. Methods and Materials: The results of therapy are reported in 384 patients with histologically proven epidermoid carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa; 154 were treated with irradiation alone (55–70 Gy), 144 with preoperative radiation therapy (20–40 Gy), and 86 with postoperative irradiation (50–60 Gy). The operation in all but four patients in the last two groups consisted of an en bloc radical tonsillectomy with ipsilateral lymph node dissection. Results: Treatment modality and total irradiation doses had no impact on survival. Actuarial 10-year disease-free survival rates were 65% for patients with T1 tumors, 60% for T2, 60% for T3, and 30% for T4 disease. Patients with no cervical lymphadenopathy or with a small metastatic lymph node (N1) had better disease-free survival (60% and 70%, respectively) at 5 years than those with large or fixed lymph nodes (30%). Primary tumor recurrence (local, marginal) rates in the T1, T2, and T3 groups were 20–25% in patients treated with irradiation and surgery and 31% for those treated with irradiation alone (difference not statistically significant). In patients with T4 disease treated with surgery and postoperative irradiation, the local failure rate was 32% compared with 86% with low-dose preoperative irradiation and 47% with irradiation alone ( p = 0.03). The overall recurrence rates in the neck were 10% for N0 patients, 25% for N1 and N2, and 35–40% for patients with N3 cervical lymph nodes, without significant differences among the various treatment groups. The incidence of contralateral neck recurrences was 8% with the various treatment modalities. On multivariate analysis the only significant factors for local tumor control and disease-free survival were T and N stage ( p = 0.04–0.001). Fatal complications were noted in 7 of 144 (5%) patients treated with preoperative irradiation and surgery, 2 of 86 (2%) of those receiving postoperative irradiation, and 2 of 154 (1.3%) patients treated with radiation therapy alone. Other moderate or severe nonfatal sequelae were noted in 30% of the patients treated with preoperative irradiation and surgery, in 53% treated with postoperative irradiation, and in 19% receiving radiation therapy alone. Conclusion: Primary tumor and neck node stage are the only significant prognostic factors influencing locoregional tumor control and disease-free survival. Treatment modality had no significant impact on outcome. Radiation therapy remains the treatment of choice for patients with stage T1–T2 carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa. In patients with T3–T4 tumors and good general condition, combination surgery and postoperative irradiation offers better tumor control than single-modality and preoperative irradiation procedures, but with greater morbidity.

Purpose: Fractionated high-dose-rate (fr.HDR) and pulsed-dose, rate (PDR) brachytherapy (BT) regimens, which simulate classical continuous low- dose-rate (LDR) interstitial radiation therapy (IRT) schedules, have been developed for clinical use. This article reports the initial results using these novel schedules in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tonsillar fossa (TF) and/or soft palate (SP). Methods and Materials: Between 1990 and 1994, 38 patients with TF and SP tumors (5 T1, 22 T2, 10 T3, and 1 T4) were treated by fr. HDR or PDR brachytherapy, either alone or in combination with external irradiation (ERT). Half of the patients were treated with fr. HDR, which entailed twice-daily fractions of ≤3 Gy. The other 19 patients were administered PDR, which consisted of pulses of ≤2 Gy delivered 4-8 times/day. The median cumulative dose of IRT ± ERT series was 66 Gy (range 55-73). The results in these patients treated by brachtherapy were compared to 72 patients with similar tumors treated in our institute with curative intent, using ERT alone. The median cumulative dose of ERT-only series was 70 Gy (range 40-77). Results: Excellent locoregional control was achieved with the use of IRT ± ERT, with only 13% (5 of 38) developing local failure, and salvage surgery being possible in three of the latter (60%). Neither BT scheme (fr. HDR vs. PDR) nor tumor site (TF vs. SP) significantly influenced local control rates. The type and severity of the side effects observed are comparable to those reported in the literature for LDR-IRT. These results contrast sharply with our ERT-only series, in which 39% of patients (28 of 72) developed local failure, with surgical salvage being possible only in three patients (11%). Taking the data set of 110 patients, in a univariate analysis IRT, T stage, N stage, overall treatment time (OTT), and BEDcor10 (biological effective dose with a correction for the OTT) were significant prognostic factors for local relapse-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) at 3 years. Using Cox proportional hazard analysis, only T stage and BEDcor10, remained significant for LRFS (p < 0.001 and 0.008, respectively), as well as for OS (p < 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). With regard to the current (IRT) and historical (ERT) series, for the LRFS at 3 years, dose- response relationships were established, significant, however, only for the BEDcor10 (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The 3- year LRFS of approximately 90% for TF and SP tumors reported here is comparable with the best results in the literature, particularly given the fact that 30% of the patients (11 of 38) presented with T3/4 tumors. When compared with our historical (ERT-only) controls, the patients treated with IRT had superior local control. A dose-response relationship was established for the BEDcor10.

The presence of a positive or close margin after resection of a squamous cancer of the head and neck is associated with a significant risk of local recurrence. To determine the efficacy of postoperative radiation therapy for patients with advanced oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers with inadequate margins of resection, the present retrospective analysis was undertaken.One hundred and two patients were treated with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy for advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The anatomic subsites treated include oral tongue (n = 29), floor of mouth (n = 22), base of tongue (n = 31) and tonsillar fossa (n = 20). Twenty-five patients (25%) had positive margins, 41 patients (40%) had close margins (or = 0.5 cm from the surgical margin) and 36 (35%) had negative margins. The median radiation dose was 6000 cGy.With a median follow-up of 7 years, the actuarial control rate for patients with positive, close and negative margins was 79%, 71%, and 79%, respectively. When postoperative doses ofor = 60 Gy were delivered to patients with positive/close margins (excluding patients with oral tongue lesions), the 7-year actuarial control was 92%. In similar patients receiving60 Gy, the actuarial control was 44% (p = 0.0007). Compared to other anatomic subsites, inferior control rates were obtained with oral tongue lesions. For this subsite, the control rates for positive, close, and negative margins were 50%, 62% and 69% respectively.We conclude that excellent local control can be achieved with postoperative radiation therapy, despite the presence of inadequate margins of resection, when doses ofor = 60 Gy are used. Future strategies must be directed at further improving these results in patients with oral tongue lesions.

From 1960 through 1976, 353 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the tonsillar region were primarily treated with radiation therapy. The mean age of patients was 58 years with males predominating (78%). Patients were classified according to a TNM and stage classification. Most of the tumors were large, and the specific site of origin could not be determined in 33% of the patients. The predominant identifiable sites were the soft palate and uvula, 18%, the anterior tonsillar pillar, 18%, and the tonsillar fossa, 13%. Patients were treated with radiation to doses of 6700 rad given in 48 days and 33 fractions using Cobalt 60 radiation. We found a 91.7% control rate for patients with T1 disease and 76.9%, 49.5%, and 25% for T2, T3, and T4 patients, respectively. The overall local control rate was 62.3%. Surgery was used most often in recurrences for Stage III patients. Salvage surgery was carried out in 93 patients. Surgery was more successful in controlling the disease in patients in whom the primary was controlled by irradiation. Overall, the tumors in 43% of the patients who had surgery were subsequently controlled as a result of this treatment. Metastasis occurred rapidly, with 75 of the patients exhibiting metastases by 18 months. Complications were not related to dose but were slightly higher in patients who had surgery (5%). We conclude that radiation therapy is the preferred treatment for Stage I and II squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsillar region. No satisfactory results were obtained in Stage IV; other approaches should be tried.

Between July 1968 and December 1983, 150 patients with previously untreated squamous cell carcinomas of the tonsillar fossa received megavoltage external beam irradiation with curative intent at U.T.M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. These patients were treated following a series of patients who had received radiotherapy between 1954 and May 1968. One hundred and thirty-seven patients were treated with conventional fractionation, the mean doses to the primary being 64.3 Gy, 67.8 Gy, 70.2 Gy, and 72.6 Gy for T1, T2, T3, and T4 lesions respectively. Thirteen patients were treated by altered fractionation schedules, 7 by hyperfractionation, and 6 by a concomitant boost to the primary. Elective bilateral neck irradiation was routine in all patients. A planned neck dissection was performed in 26 patients. The 5-year actuarial overall and disease-specific survival rates were 47% and 70%, respectively. Absolute local control rates with a minimum of 2 years follow-up after irradiation were 94%, 79%, 58%, and 50% for patients with T1, T2, T3, and T4 disease respectively. A total of 37 patients had local treatment failure; in 5 of 18 surgical salvage was successful. Only 4 patients with primary disease control developed failure in the neck and none of those with N0 or N1 disease did so when the primary was controlled. Twelve patients developed transient self-limited bone exposure, 7 developed osteoradionecrosis of the mandible, all requiring surgical resection. Most severe late complications occurred in patients with T3 and T4 lesions whose dose to the primary exceeded 67.5 Gy.

In patients treated for carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa by irradiation alone or preoperative irradiation and surgery a close correlation was observed between the doses of irradiation and adequacy of the portals, with control of the tumor in the primary and the neck lymph nodes. Radiation alone, at doses in the range of 5500 to 6000 rad will adequately control T 1 lesions; for T 2 tumors, 6000–6500 rad are necessary; and for T 3 − T 4 tumors, 7000–7500 rad. The neck nodes tumor is controlled with doses of 5000 rad when there is only subclinical disease ( N 0 ), 6000 rad for N 1 nodes, 6000–6500 rad for N 2 , and 6500–7500 rad for N 3 nodes, depending on the number of fractions. Approximately 50% ofthe patients failing in stages T 3 and T 4 had inadequate coverage of the entire areas of potential marginal tumor spread by the irradiation portals. In patients who were treated with preoperative irradiation, usually 3000 rad in 3 weeks, a greater proportion of pathological specimens with no evidence of tumor were seen in the patients with T 1 − T 2 or N 0 − N 1 lymph nodes. There were almost no failures in the patients with no pathological evidence of residual tumor, in contrast to over 50% of the patients with persistent tumor showing primary recurrences, and 45% of the patients with persistent tumor in the neck nodes developing neck failures. This suggests that higher doses oC preoperative irradiation, which produce a high number of negative specimens, may result in greater tumor control. This study emphasizes the significance of the dose of radiation delivered and the volume treated in patients with carcinoma of the tonsil managed by irradiation alone or combined with a surgical procedure.