• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2003

Purpose: The effects of hypefractionation radiation therapy, such as the failure pattern and survival, on the treatment results in advanced stage head and neck cancer were studied. Materials and Methods: Between September 1990 and October 1998, 24 patients with advanced stage (III, IV) head and neck cancers, were treated using hyperfractionation radiation therapy in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. The male to female ratio was 7 : 1, and the age range from 38 to 71 years with the median of 56 years. With regard to the TNM stage, 11 patients were stage III and 13 were stage IV. The sites of primary cancer were the nasopharynx in six, the hypopharynx in 6, the larynx in five, the oropharynx in three, the maxillary sinus in three, and the oral cavity in one patient. The radiotherapy was delivered by 6 MV X-ray, with a fraction size of 1.2 Gy at two fractions a day, with at least 6 hours inter-fractional interval. The mean total radiation doses was 72 Gy, (ranging from 64.4 to 75.8 Gy). Follow-up periods ranged between 3 and 136 months, with the median of 52 months. Results: The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years in all patients were 66.7$\%$, and 52.4$\%$. The disease-free survival rates at 3 and S years (3YDFS, 5YDFS) in all patients were 66.7$\%$ and 47.6$\%$. The 3YDFS and 5YDFS in stage III patients were 81.8$\%$ and 63.6$\%$, and those in stage IV patients were 53.8$\%$ and 32.3$\%$. Ten patients were alive with no local nor distant failures at the time of analyses. Six patients (25$\%$) died due to distant metastasis and 12.5$\%$ died due to local failure. Distant metastasis was the major cause of failure, but 2 patients died due to unknown failures and 3 of other diseases. The distant metastasis sites were the lung (3 patients), the bone (1 patient), and the liver (2 patients). One patient died of second esophageal cancer. There were no severe late complications, with the exception of 1 osteo-radionecrosis of the mandible 58 months after treatment. Conclusion: Although this study was peformed on small patients group, we considered hypefractionated radiation therapy for the treatment of advanced stage head and neck cancer might improve the disease free survival and decrease the local failure with no increase in late complications despite of the slight Increase in acute complications.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.64-70
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of hypothyroidism in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients who received radiotherapy (RT) either with or without neck dissection. Materials and Methods: From January 2000 to December 2005, 115 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer and who received definitive RT or postoperative RT including standard anterior low-neck field were recruited to be part of this study. Nineteen patients had undergone ipsilateral neck dissection, whereas, 18 patients underwent bilateral neck dissection, and 78 patients were received RT alone. Patients' ages ranged from 28 to 85 years (median, 59 years) and there were a total of 73 male and 42 female patients. The primary tumor sites were the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and other sites in 18, 40, 28, 22 and 7 patients, respectively. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 44 Gy to 66 Gy with a median dose of 50 Gy. Follow-up time ranged from 2 to 91 months, with a median of 29 months. Results: The 1- and 3- year incidence of hypothyroidism was 28.7% (33 patients) and 33.0% (38 patients), respectively. The median time to detection of hypothyroidism was 8.5 months (range, 0 to 36 months). A univariate analysis revealed that neck node dissection was a risk factor for hypothyroidism (p=0.037). However, no factor was statistically significant from the results of a multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Patients treated for advanced head and neck cancer with radiotherapy with or without neck dissection will develop hypothyroidism. It is important to check the thyroid function periodically in these patientsespecially with the risk factor of neck node dissection.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 1990

This paper is a review of our experience with radical resection for cancer of the oral cavity with particular emphasis upon the value of myocutaneous(i.e., musculocutanous) flaps employed in the surgical reconstruction in patient survival. During the past 15 years, 98 patients underwent resection of cancer arising in the oral cavity and oropharynx. Of these, 14 had composite resections in which the mandible was not sectioned, and 4 underwent en bloc resections without neck dissections in the face of post-radiation recurrence. When these excluded, 84 patients who underwent COMMANDO procedures with or without myocutaneous flaps were suitable for analysis of recurrence and survival according to the various surgical technics employed. 1) According to the surgical technic, there were 24 standard COMMANDO procedures in whom no regional or myocutanous flap was used; 12 patients who underwent reconstruction employing a forehead flap; 19 patients in whom a posterior cervical 'nape' flap was employed; 27 patients who underwent myocutaneous or osteo-myocutaneous flap repair; and two patients who had double flap repair. 2) The uncorrected two-year disease free survival was 41% for standard COMMANDOs, 17% for forehead flap COMMANDOs; 35% for nape flap COMMANDOs; and 35% for myocutaneous flap COMMANDO procedures. 3) The two-year disease-free survival by Stage was 100% in Stage I, 45% in Stage II, 41% in Stage III, and 18% in Stage IV. 4) When myocutanous flaps cases were compared with Group I, comprised of matched historical controls including both Standard COMMANDOs and those who had undergone regional flap repairs(that is, forehead and nape flap COMMANDOs)there was no difference, both groups showing a 40% 2-year disease-free survival. 5) When musculocutanous flap cases were compared with Goup II, which was composed of matched historical controis limited to patients who had undergone regional flap repairs(that is, forehead and nape flap cases only)there was no difference, both groups showing a 27% 2-year desease-free survival. 6) When musculocutanous flap cases were compared with Group III, composed of patients who had undergone classic COMMANDO procedures without any sort of flap repair, there was a striking difference; the patients undergoing MC flap repair showed 50% 2-year disease-free survival, whereas the classic COMMANDO cases showed a 25% survival free of disease. 7) Locoregional recurrence was also evaluated in the four categories; for standard COMMANDO cases it was 25%, for nape flap cases 26% ; for forehead flap cases, 33%, and for the musculocutaneous flap cases, the lowest recurrence rate, 22%. These results are of particular significance in view of the fact that the proportion of advanced cases(Stage III and IV)in each category was 67% of standard cases, 79% of nape flap patients, 100% of forehead flap cases, and 96% of musculocutaneous flap cases.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1996

Purpose : A retrospective analysis for patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma who were treated with radiation was performed to assess the results of treatment and patterns of failure, and to identify the factors that might influence survival. materials and methods : From March 1985 through June 1993, 53 patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma were treated with either radiation therapy alone or combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital. Patients' ages ranged from 31 to 73 years with a median age of 54 years. There were 47 men and 6 women, Forty-two Patients ($79.2\%$) had squamous cell carcinoma, 10 patients ($18.9\%$) had undifferentiated carcinoma and 1 patient ($19\%$) had adenoid cystic carcinoma. There were 2 patients with stage I, 12 patients with stage II, 12 Patients with stage III and 27 patients with stage IV. According to the TNM classification, patients were distributed as follows: T1 7, T2 28, T3 10, T4 7, TX 1, and N0 17, Nl 13, N2 21, N3 2. The primary tumor sites were tonsillar region in 36 patients ($67.9\%$), base of the tongue in 12 patients ($22.6\%$), and soft palate in 5 patients ($9.4\%$). Twenty-five patients were treated with radiation therapy alone and twenty-eight Patients were treated with one to three courses of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. Chemotherapeutic regimens used were either CF (cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) or CVB (cisplatin, vincristine and bleomycin). Radiation therapy was delivered 180-200 cGy daily, five times a week using 6 MV X-ray with or without 8-10 MeV electron beams A tumor dose ranged from 4500 cGy to 7740 cGy with a median dose of 7100 cGy. The follow-up time ranged from 4 months to 99 months with a median of 21 months. Results : Thirty-seven patients ($69.8\%$) achieved a CR (complete response) and PR (partial response) in 16 patients ($30.2\%$) after radiation therapy. The overall survival rates were $47\%$ at 2 years and $42\%$ at 3 years, respectively. The median survival time was 23 months. Overall stage (p=0.02) and response to radiation therapy (p=0.004) were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. The 2-year disease-free survival rate was $45.5\%$. T-stage (p=0.03), N-stage (p=0.04) and overall stage (P=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Age, sex, histology, primary site of the tumor, radiation dose, combination of chemotherapy were not significantly associated with disease-free survival. Among evaluable 32 Patients with CR to radiation therapy, 12 patients were considered to have failed Among these, 8 patients failed locoregionally and 4 Patients failed distantly. Conclusion : T-stage, N-stage and overall stage were significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival in the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer Since locoregional failure was the predominant pattern of relapse, potential methods to improve locoregional control with radiation therapy should be attempted. More controlled clinical, trials should be completed before acceptance of chemotherapy as a part of treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma.