SPLIT-COURSE ACCELERATED HYPERFRACTIONATION RADIOTHERAPY FOR ADVANCEDHEAD AND NECK-CANCER - INFLUENCE OF SPLIT TIME AND OVERALL TREATMENT TIME ON LOCAL-CONTROL

We analysed 52 patients with stage III and IV head and neck cancer who were given split-course accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy wi th curative intent, focusing particularly on the influence of split-ti me on local control. An initial complete response was achieved in 16 p atients (31%) and the rate of persistent local control at 3 years was 23%. The cause specific survival rate at 3 years was 29%. Univariate a nalysis of local control according to the split-time duration and over all treatment time showed that the shorter duration (less than or equa l to 14 days or less than or equal to 45 days, respectively) had a sig nificantly positive impact on local control (P < 0.05). Multivariate a nalysis using local control as an endpoint also demonstrated that gend er (women showing a better outcome than men) and split-time (less than or equal to 14 days was better than > 14 days) were statistically sig nificant factors for local control. These results suggest that shorten ing the split-time during radiotherapy might improve local control in accelerated hyperfractionation.