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Yung H. Son, MD; Clarence T. Sasaki, MD

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1995;121(9):991-993.

Abstract
Objective
To rapidly induce symptomatic relief and local tumor control in bulky advanced head and neck tumors without surgery.

Design
A retrospective analysis of the results with palladium 103–labeled or iodine 125–labeledbrachytherapy (BT) and adjunctive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT); a survival analysis by the Kaplan-Meier method; and a comparison of results between the BT/EBRT and EBRT/BT (or BT alone) groups by the log-rank test. A nonsurgical alternative therapy was given to a total of 51 patients who presented with tumors of more than 100 cm³ in volume.

Results
Moderate to complete symptomatic relief was observed in 31 (61%) of 51 patients. Seven (33%) of 21 patients in the BT/EBRT group and two (7%) of 30 in the EBRT/BT group were recurrence-free at 36 months. The difference was significant by the log-rank test. Cause-specific and overall 36-month survivals were 23% and 5%, respectively.

Conclusion
Cure rate by conventional therapy in bulky advanced head and neck tumors is dismal. The palladium 103—or iodine 125–BT/EBRT offers good symptomatic relief and an acceptable probability of recurrence-free survival.

(Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1995;121:991-993)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Therapeutic Radiology (Dr Son) and Surgery (Drs Son and Sasaki), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.

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