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2017 Month : October Volume : 6 Issue : 84 Page : 5828-5831COMPARISON OF HYPERFRACTIONATION AND CONVENTIONAL METHOD OF RADIOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCERS.
Ramkumar Bakthavachalam1, Vidya Albert Yen2
Corresponding Author:
Dr. Ramkumar Bakthavachalam,
F-L, B-Block, Vijay Balaji Flats, 6,
Sabari Salai, Madipakkam, Chennai-600091.
E-mail: ramkb68@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Head and Neck cancers are conventionally treated with either radical surgery or radiotherapy with curative intent in early stages. In advanced stages, larger doses of radiotherapy is required to achieve cure which requires altered fractionation schedules of radiotherapy like hyperfractionation. This study is conducted to assess the response to hyperfractionation radiotherapy in advanced head and neck cancers.
The objective of this study is to compare the Hyperfractionation and Conventional fractionation of Radiotherapy in advanced Head and Neck cancers.
Design- Randomised Controlled Study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
60 patients with advanced head and neck cancers attending Govt. Arignar Anna Cancer Hospital, Kancheepuram, were selected and divided equally into Hyperfractionation Radiotherapy arm and Conventional Radiotherapy arm for 6 weeks and treatment response was evaluated.
RESULTS
In the Hyperfractionation Radiotherapy arm complete response (53%), partial response (37%), minimal response (3%) and stable disease (7%) were noted. In the conventional Radiotherapy arm complete response (30%), partial response (57%), minimal response (7%), stable disease (3%) and tumour progression (3%) were present.
CONCLUSION
Better locoregional control can be obtained with Hyperfractionation radiotherapy than Conventional radiotherapy, though acute toxicities are more common in the former.
KEYWORDS
Head and Neck Cancers, Hyperfractionated Radiotherapy, Conventional Radiotherapy.