APPLICATIONS OF BRACHYTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

Brachytherapy offers the radiation oncologist the opportunity to deliv er high doses of radiation to the tumor, with minimal doses to the sur rounding normal tissue. This combination enhances the therapeutic rati o. It allows for enhanced tumor control, with minimal toxicity. When u tilized, it often allows for tumor control without the need for resect ion. This is especially important in the head and neck. Resection of o rgans such as the lip, oral tongue, base-of-tongue, and other sites ca n cause significant functional and cosmetic morbidity. The ability to save these structures, using radiation therapy instead of surgery, can provide excellent tumor control and optimal quality-of-life outcome. In situations of recurrent disease, especially when prior radiation ha s been given, brachytherapy is often the only way to re-irradiate cert ain areas. This can be done alone. or in combination with surgery. The refore, brachytherapy becomes an important component of the treatment of recurrent disease. This broad overview of the use of brachytherapy in head and neck cancer will include applications in the primary as we ll as the recurrent disease setting. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.