Benefits of accelerated hyperfractionation for head and neck cancer

Accelerated hyperfractionation is a strategy intended to improve the likelihood of cancer control by delivery of a higher total dose of radiation without an offsetting increase in severe late normal tissue complications. The early results of a recently completed randomized trial of a 4-week hyperfractionated radiation schedule, and of two other regimens of accelerated hyperfractionation, confirm to some degree the biological hypotheses on which this strategy is based. The clinical benefits seen so far are limited, but are sufficient to support further refinement of the strategy and additional clinical trials.