[Hyperfractionated irradiation of malignant head and neck tumors]

A comparative analysis of results with hyperfractionated tele-gamma-irradiation was done in 75 patients with locally advanced head and neck tumors (mainly stage III-IV) with different partition of the daily dose. The patients were divided among three groups. In group I (33 patients) the radiotherapy was carried out with 1.2 Gy (twice a day with an interval of 6 hours) up to the total dose of 70 to 75 Gy, in group II (23 patients) the irradiation took place with 1 Gy (three times a day with a 3-hours-interval between the fractions) up to the total dose of 60 to 65 Gy; in group III (19 patients) 1 Gy was given (five times a day) with the total dose of 60 Gy. Good perspectives followed for hyperfractionated irradiation with two or three times repeated partition of the daily dose, in which the frequency of complete tumor resorption was 94 to 95% and the two-years-survival attained 60.6 or 77.3% in the analysed groups without late complications.