NEUTRON RADIOTHERAPY FOR ADENOID CYSTIC CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Achieving local control in patients with advanced adenoid cystic carci noma continues to be a therapeutic challenge. From 1984 to 1990, we tr eated 34 patients with advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head a nd neck with fast neutron radiation. Patients treated for minimal micr oscopic disease following surgery were not included in this study. Neu tron radiotherapy achieved 5-year actuarial local control and locoregi onal control rates of 76% and 63%, respectively. Five-year actuarial o verall survival and disease-specific survival rates were 65% and 93%, respectively. Eighty-one percent (17/21) of patients treated with neut ron therapy alone and 100% (13/13) of the patients treated with neutro n therapy and surgery achieved local control. All seven patients with paranasal sinus malignant neoplasms achieved local control. The succes s achieved in this prognostically unfavorable population affirms the i mportant role of neutron radiotherapy in the treatment of adenoid cyst ic carcinoma.