Cesium-131 brachytherapy in high risk and recurrent head and neck cancers: first report of long-term outcomes

Anthony Pham; Shruthi Arora; Gabriella Wernicke; David I. Kutler; Marc Cohen; William Kuhel; Samuel Trichter; Dattatreyudu Nori; Silvia C. Formenti; Bhupesh Parashar

doi:10.5114/jcb.2015.56764

eISSN: 2081-2841
ISSN: 1689-832X

Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy

Current Issue Archive Supplements Articles in Press Journal Information Aims and Scope Editorial Office Editorial Board Register as Author Register as Reviewer Instructions for Authors Abstracting and indexing Subscription Advertising Information Links

Editorial System

Submit your Manuscript

6/2015
vol. 7

Send email

Copy url:

abstract:

Original paper

Cesium-131 brachytherapy in high risk and recurrent head and neck cancers: first report of long-term outcomes

Anthony Pham

,

Shruthi Arora

,

Gabriella Wernicke

,

David I. Kutler

,

Marc Cohen

,

William Kuhel

,

Samuel Trichter

,

Dattatreyudu Nori

,

Silvia C. Formenti

,

Bhupesh Parashar

J Contemp Brachytherapy 2015; 7, 6: 445-452

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/jcb.2015.56764

Online publish date: 2015/12/30

View full text Get citation

Purpose: The feasibility and efficacy of re-irradiation using contemporary radiation techniques to treat recurrent head and neck cancer has been demonstrated but the role of brachytherapy is unclear. Here we describe the use of ¹³¹Cs brachytherapy with concurrent salvage surgery in 18 patients.

Material and methods: Eligible patients underwent maximal gross resection of the tumor with implantation of brachytherapy seeds delivering a minimum dose of 80 Gy to the tumor bed. Rates of overall survival, locoregional progression free survival, disease-free survival, and radiation-induced toxicity were analyzed.

Results: Retrospective Kaplan-Meier analysis shows median overall survival was 15 months and disease free survival was 12 months. Two patients developed grade 3 toxicity; all other complications were grade 1-2 with no grade 4 or 5 complications.

Conclusions: Compared to prior literature, our study shows comparable rates of survival with a decreased rate of radiation-induced toxicity.

keywords:

Cesium-131 brachytherapy in high risk and recurrent head and neck cancers: first report of long-term outcomes

Anthony Pham , Shruthi Arora , Gabriella Wernicke , David I. Kutler , Marc Cohen , William Kuhel , Samuel Trichter , Dattatreyudu Nori , Silvia C. Formenti , Bhupesh Parashar

131Cs, brachytherapy, head and neck cancer, recurrence

Anthony Pham

,

Shruthi Arora

,

Gabriella Wernicke

,

David I. Kutler

,

Marc Cohen

,

William Kuhel

,

Samuel Trichter

,

Dattatreyudu Nori

,

Silvia C. Formenti

,

Bhupesh Parashar

¹³¹Cs, brachytherapy, head and neck cancer, recurrence