Results of tongue cancer mainly treated by brachytherapy

Survival rate, local control rate, radiation injury, and cause of death were analyzed in a retrospective review of 109 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue treated with brachytherapy during six years from January 1978 through December 1983. According to the clinical staging, five-year survival rate was 84 % for T1, 60 % for T2, 40 % for T3, and 45 % for T4. Overall, it was 65 %. According to the lymph node staging at first presentation, five-year survival was 72 % for N0, as compared with 43 % for N+. Local control rate for 5 years was 97 % (one/39) for T1. There was no difference in local control rate for T2 and T3 patients : 67 % versus 70 %, respectively. For 88 patients free from local recurrence, radiation injury was observed in 27 patients (31 %), including five (6 %) with mandibular necrosis. It was more frequent in the group with combined external irradiation and brachytherapy (14/29, 48 %) than the group treated with brachytherapy alone (13/59, 22 %). There were 32 deaths, comprising 24 from tongue cancer and 8 from intercurrent disease (including 5 from double cancer). (Namekawa, K.)