Hyperfractionated radiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

From January, 1976 to January, 1980, 141 patients (135 males and 6 females) with Stage III and IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck received a split course of hyperfractionated radiotherapy (HFR). In the first group, involving 91 patients, the therapeutic schedule was as follows: first and fourth week, 7.2 Gy per day in 8 sessions of .9 Gy from Monday to Friday, the second and third week no irradiation was given. Thus, patients were given 72 Gy total dose, fractionated into 80 sessions. Mucosal necrosis and severe hemorrhage were responsible for the death of 26 patients (28%). Therefore the therapeutic protocol was altered for the 50 patients of the second group: during the first and sixth week 6.6 Gy per day in 6 sessions of 1.1 Gy from Monday to Friday. The total dose was thus reduced to 66 Gy fractionated into 60 sessions, resulting in the decrease of toxicity. Regardless of the therapeutic protocol and site of primary, 114 patients (80%) achieved a complete remission and 8 showed a partial remission (greater than 50%), whereas no change was seen for the 19 remainders. Local recurrence appeared in 60 patients (48%). Acute mucositis and laryngeal edema regularly occurred a week after every course of HFR and were considered severe in 40 patients. In spite of toxicity, the median survival is 14 months and 22 patients are still alive in November 1981: 19 without disease, and 8 of these patients have a survival time of at least 3 years.