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Purpose We retrospectively reviewed long-term outcomes of patients with inverted papilloma (IP) treated with radiation therapy at our institution. Methods and Materials From 1969 to 2008, 13 patients with advanced or recurrent IP (n = 12) or cylindrical papilloma (n = 1) were treated with radiation therapy. The median age at radiation therapy was 53 years old (range, 32-84). Nine patients received postoperative radiation therapy, 3 received definitive radiation therapy, and 1 received preoperative radiation therapy. Of the 10 patients treated with combined-modality treatment, 1 underwent craniofacial resection and 9 underwent open resection. Eight patients, 4 patients, and 1 patient received once-daily fractionation, twice-daily fractionation, and planned split-course radiation therapy, respectively, to a median dose of 65 Gy (range, 45.3-70.4 Gy). Results The median follow-up was 16.2 years. Actuarial 15-year overall and cause-specific survival rates were 62% and 82%. Fifteen-year actuarial local and regional control rates were 45% and 73%. Fifteen-year local-regional control rates for IP alone and IP associated with squamous cell carcinoma (IP-SCC) at the time of treatment were 80% and 16%. Fifteen-year overall survival rates for IP alone and IP-SCC were 40% and 50%. The only severe treatment complication was a grade 3 central nervous system radionecrosis. The most common grade 1-2 toxicities were mucositis (61%), pain (46%), conjunctivitis (31%), xerostomia (31%), epiphora (31%), and anorexia (31%). Conclusions While surgery is the primary treatment for IP, radiation therapy should be considered in patients with SCC, multiply recurrent IPs, and incompletely resectable IP. Radiation therapy is associated with a relatively low risk of severe complications. Despite more aggressive treatment, local failure remains a considerable challenge.

Purpose This study reports the outcomes of adults with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the head and neck following resection and postoperative radiotherapy (RT), and provides a framework for explaining the issues that radiation oncologists must understand to manage patients with this diverse group of tumors. Methods and Materials Twenty-four patients met the following inclusion criteria of this study: age ≥19 years, head or neck primary site, STS, with the exception of rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing, or angiosarcoma variants, and curative-attempt treatment with gross total tumor resection followed by RT. Results All patients underwent gross total tumor resection followed by adjuvant RT at our institution during the 28-year period between June 1, 1981, and December 31, 2009. This is a mature study with a median follow-up of 11 years (range, 0.6-27 years). No patient was lost to follow-up. All recurrences were at the primary site. No patient developed an isolated regional or distant recurrence. No patient developed synchronous nodal or distant recurrences at the time of local recurrence. Half of the recurrences presented within 1 year of completing RT, but there were 2 cases where we did not detect recurrence until years 6 and 8 after RT. No recurrence was successfully salvaged. The actuarial rate of local control and relapse-free survival was 83% (95% CI [confidence interval], 63%-94%) at 5 years and 73% (95% CI, 51%-87%) at 10 years. The incidence of moderate to severe treatment complications was 4%. Conclusions Our series documents that gross total resection followed by RT cures most patients (75%) with the most common types of STS of the head and neck. All recurrences were local, meaning near the primary site in tissue that received the full RT prescription dose. For this reason, modifying the approach to treatment of the primary tumor site is the only strategy that will meaningfully improve outcomes for this group of patients.

Purpose To analyze the results of definitive radiation therapy (RT) for squamous cell carcinoma of the pharyngeal wall. Methods and Materials Between 1964 and 2009, 170 patients were treated with definitive RT; all living patients had a 1.7-year minimum follow-up. Results The 5-year rates of local control and ultimate local control were the following: T1, 93% and 93%; T2, 84% and 91%; T3, 60% and 62%; and T4, 44% and 44%. Multivariate analysis revealed stage I-II tumors, female gender, and altered fractionation were associated with improved local-regional control. The 5-year cause-specific and overall survival rates were the following: I, 88% and 50%; II, 89% and 57%; III, 49% and 31%; IV, 35% and 21%; and overall, 50% and 31%, respectively. Fatal complications occurred in 9 patients (5%). Conclusions Local-regional control and survival are related to extent of disease and treatment technique. Although outcomes have improved in recent years, the morbidity of treatment is significant and a substantial proportion of patients die due to cancer.

Purpose To explain the concepts that radiation oncologists need to understand to manage patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA). To accomplish this goal we first describe our institution's experience with radiotherapy for JNA and then use this data set as a framework for explaining the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of this uncommon tumor. Methods and Materials We studied the outcomes of all 24 patients treated with radiotherapy for JNA at our institution. All patients had at least 4 years of follow-up (median follow-up, 18 years). The standard dose in the first half of the series was 30 Gy in 22 treatments (1.43 Gy/treatment). After observing recurrences with this schedule, the prescription was changed to 35 to 36 Gy at 1.8 Gy/treatment. In all cases, the target volume was the primary site without an attempt to cover the regional nodes. Results All recurrences were at the primary site and presented within 5 years of completing radiotherapy. There appeared to be a dose response for tumor control: 77% with 30 to 32 Gy versus 91% with 35 to 36 Gy. All recurrences following radiotherapy were successfully salvaged with surgery. The only complications from radiotherapy were cataracts in 2 patients. No patient had a significant growth abnormality or second tumor. Conclusions Surgery is the best treatment for JNA when cure is likely with low morbidity, but the threshold for using radiotherapy should be low because moderate-dose radiotherapy cures about 90% of patients with a low risk of serious complications. We recommend 36 Gy at 1.8 Gy per treatment in most cases. Elective nodal irradiation is not necessary. Radiographic response should be almost complete within a year of radiotherapy. Patients should be followed with cross-sectional imaging every 6 months for at least 5 years.