Follow up after IMRT in oral cavity cancer: update (Radiation Oncology)

PurposeExcept for early stages (T1/2N0), the prognosis for patients with oral cavity cancer (OCC) is known to be worse than for those with pharyngeal carcinoma. While definitive intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)-chemotherapy affords loco-regional control rates (LRC) of approximately 80% in advanced pharyngeal cancer, corresponding rates are reported to be much lower for OCC. The aim of this work was to evaluate loco-regional disease control and overall survival in a relatively large OCC patient cohort treated in the IMRT era.Methods and MaterialsBetween October 2002 and June 2011, 160 OCC patients were treated with curative intention IMRT at our department. 122 patients (76%) were referred with primary disease and 38 patients (24%) with a recurrent OCC at least 3 months after surgery alone. Definitive IMRT was performed in 44/160 patients (28%), whilst 116 patients underwent previous surgery. Simultaneous systemic therapy was administered in 72%. Results: Patients with postoperative IMRT (+/-systemic therapy) with R0-1 status (n=99) reached significantly higher LRC/overall survival rates than patients following IMRT for macroscopic disease (n=61), with 84%/80% versus 38%/33% at 3 years, respectively (p