XXXX brachytherapy for early stage @entity5 .

@entity1 @entity1697 @entity39 @entity5 @entity33 @entity177 @entity51 @entity1168
BACKGROUND: @entity1168 ( @entity1168 ) interstitial brachytherapy of the oral tongue is a new treatment modality. Our study evaluates the outcomes of @entity1 with early stage @entity5 as treated by @entity1168 interstitial implant. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 19 @entity1 who were seen between 1994 and 2000 with @entity1697 and whose @entity5 were treated solely with interstitial implant using @entity1168 remote afterloading technique. Ten @entity1 had T1 N0 disease, and the remaining 9 had T2 N0 disease. Elective neck treatment was withheld for 12 @entity1 . The remaining seven @entity1 had ipsilateral elective neck dissection. The male-female ratio was 1:0.9, and the median age was 60 years (range, 32-81 years). The median follow-up time was 43 months (range, 6-78 months). The afterloading catheters were positioned by the submandibular approach with the assistance of a template set. Fifteen @entity1 had single planar implants, and the remaining four had double planar implants. The median number of catheters inserted was 5 (range, 4-9). The median dose given was 55 Gy in 10 fractions over 6 days. The minimal interfraction interval was 7 hours for the first 7 @entity1 and was extended to 8 hours for the other 12. Mandibular shields were inserted before treatment. RESULTS: The @entity33 lasted for 6 to 20 weeks (median, 9 weeks). One @entity1 had local failure, and the 4-year local failure-free survival rate was 94.7%. Three of the 12 @entity1 without elective neck treatment had @entity177 develop. They were salvaged by neck node dissection and regionally remained in control. One @entity1 with multiple nodal metastases and extracapsular spread had biopsy-proven liver metastases and died 6 months after implant. One of the seven @entity1 who were treated with elective neck dissection had multiple nodal metastases and extracapsular spread. She was treated with postoperative radiotherapy to the neck. She died 30 months after implant with evidence of regional and distant failure. One @entity1 treated with double planar implant had grade II @entity39 of the soft tissue and bone develop. The @entity39 resolved with conservative treatment. Another four @entity1 had small area of soft tissue @entity51 attributed to aggressive debulking or biopsy before brachytherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience in treating @entity5 with @entity1168 remote afterloading technique is encouraging, because it gives a local control rate of 94.7% at 4 years with acceptable morbidity. Further studies are eagerly awaited to delineate the optimum schedule for this new treatment modality.
