Locally advanced Cancers of the Head and Neck (T3-4 or N+) bear a very grim prognosis for the affected patients. The standard therapy for such inoperable tumours consists of a simultaneous conventionally fractionated radiochemotherapy. In this thesis the results of a simultaneous, accelerated-hyperfractionated radiochemotherapy in 61 patients with a concomitant boost scheme were examined as far as tumour control, survival and toxicity are concerned.
A partial or complete tumour remission was found in 78% of all patients. 22% of the patients developed recurrent disease, 75% of the patients that reached a partial remission showed tumour progression later. After 24 months local and locoregional disease free survival was 44%, overall survival was 39%. An acute Mucositis °III was found in 74% of the treated patients. Excluding a few cases of late toxicity on bone or soft tissue, only a moderate xerostomia and lost of taste was observed.
The main problem remains local and locoregional tumour control. New radiation techniques with local dose enhancement in hypoxic and fast proliferating parts of the tumour, as well as use of modern cytotoxic drugs could lead to a better locoregional control and thus hopefully to a longer overall survival.
«
Locally advanced Cancers of the Head and Neck (T3-4 or N+) bear a very grim prognosis for the affected patients. The standard therapy for such inoperable tumours consists of a simultaneous conventionally fractionated radiochemotherapy. In this thesis the results of a simultaneous, accelerated-hyperfractionated radiochemotherapy in 61 patients with a concomitant boost scheme were examined as far as tumour control, survival and toxicity are concerned.
A partial or complete tumour remission was fo...
»