[Intracavitary afterloading-therapy of cervicofacial tumors--results and experiences to date]

Since 1984 we have used the intracavitary afterloading brachytherapy also in therapy of cervicofacial tumors. We report on 21 patients, 12 of them with therapy of recurrences and 9 with a primary therapy. The patients represent an inhomogeneous selected group. With recurrences also long tumor-free survival periods (till now 44, 52, 53 months) can be attained by means of contact therapy alone or in combination with percutaneous irradiation. Also after primary intensive irradiation curative radiation doses are applicable again as therapy of recurrences. Procedure can likewise be applied in primary therapy of cervicofacial tumors as a boost-irradiation in percutaneous radiotherapy. It should be reserved to limited tumor situations in compliance with irradiation of small volumes.