Influence of age on the results of brachytherapy for early tongue cancer

Yamazaki, Hideya; Inoue, Takehiro; Yoshida, Ken; Imai, Atsushi; Yoshioka, Yasuo; Tanaka, Eiichi; Shimamoto, Shigeaki; Nakamura, Satoaki; Inoue, Toshihiko; Nakamura, Hironobu; Furukawa, Souhei; Shimizutani, Kimishige

doi:10.1016/S0360-3016(00)01454-1

« Previous Next »International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics
Volume 49, Issue 4 , Pages 931-936, 15 March 2001

Influence of age on the results of brachytherapy for early tongue cancer☆

Hideya Yamazaki, M.D.
- Department of Radiology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Reprint requests to: Hideya Yamazaki, M.D., Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Tel: +81 6 6879 3482; Fax: +81 6 6879 3489
Takehiro Inoue, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Ken Yoshida, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Atsushi Imai, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Yasuo Yoshioka, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Eiichi Tanaka, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Shigeaki Shimamoto, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Satoaki Nakamura, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Toshihiko Inoue, M.D.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Hironobu Nakamura, M.D.
- Department of Radiology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Souhei Furukawa (D.D.S.)
- Department of Maxillo-Facial Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Kimishige Shimizutani (D.D.S.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan

Accepted 25 September 2000.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the influence of elder age on the results of brachytherapy for early (T1–2 N0 M0) oral tongue cancer and examine the compatibility of low-dose rate (LDR) with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy.

Methods and Materials: We analyzed 591 patients treated at Osaka University Hospital between 1967 and 1999. We compared the results of radiotherapy for 156 elderly patients (137 LDR and 19 HDR) 65 years of age or older and 435 patients (383 LDR and 52 HDR) less than 65 years of age.

Results: HDR brachytherapy showed the same local control rate as LDR brachytherapy (81% at 3 years). Elderly patients showed a poorer local control rate (75% at 3 years) than the younger group (83% at 3 years)(p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified age as the only prognostic factor for local control (p = 0.002).

Conclusions: HDR brachytherapy achieved the same result as LDR brachytherapy. However, the elderly patient showed a higher rate of local recurrence after brachytherapy.

Keywords: Early tongue cancer, Brachytherapy, Radiotherapy, Aged