Three weeks radiotherapy for T1 XXXX : the Christie and Royal Marsden Hospital Experience.

@entity1 @entity957 @entity5 @entity189
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Radiotherapy for @entity189 is conventionally given over a 6-7-week period. However, in a number of UK centres early lesions are treated over 3 weeks. We review recent results of this policy and discuss the reasons why short treatment times may be advantageous. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred @entity1 (100 from each centre) with T1 glottic invasive @entity957 treated with definitive radiotherapy between 1989 and 1997 were analysed. The median age was 68 years. All @entity1 received once daily fractionation, 5 days a week to a total @entity5 dose of 50.0-52.5 Gy in 16 fractions over 21 days; the fraction size ranged from 3.12 to 3.28 Gy. The median follow-up period was 5 years and 10 months. RESULTS: The 5-year local control rates with radiotherapy for the whole group was 93%; there were 14 recurrences of which seven were salvaged by laryngectomy giving an ultimate local control of 96%. The 5-year overall survival was 80% and cause specific survival at 5 years was 97%. Univariate analysis revealed that T1 substaging (P=0.82) and anterior commissure involvement (P=0.47) did not significantly influence local control. A severe late radiation complication was seen in only one @entity1 who continued to smoke heavily after treatment. There were no severe acute complications. CONCLUSIONS: Once daily radiotherapy over 3 weeks gives excellent local control in @entity1 with T1 @entity957 and has a low rate of severe complications. The short overall treatment time and large fraction size may be advantageous in radiotherapy of these well-differentiated @entity5 .
