Late complications after high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for tongue cancer

Objectives. To analyze the treatment results and late complications of high-dose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) for early (T1N0, T2N0) mobile tongue cancer using the microSelectron-HDR. Methods. From January 1993 through April 2001, a total of 72 patients with early squamous cell carcinomas of the mobile tongue were treated with microSelectron-HDR interstitial brachytherapy at the Department of Radiology, Osaka University Hospital. Of the patients, 18% were treated with a combination of prior external radiation and HDR-ISBT, and 82% were treated with HDR-ISBT alone. For HDR-ISBT alone, all cases were treated with a total dose of 54 Gy/9 fractions every 5 days or 60 Gy/10 fractions every 8 days. In combined therapy with an external dose of 30 to 40 Gy, HDR-ISBT was given at a total dose of 42-50 Gy. The Brinkman and alcohol indexes were used to analyze the incidence of late complications after HDR-ISBT. Results. The 2- and 5-year local control rates were 85% and 82%, respectively. Fifteen of 72 patients (21%) treated with HDR-ISBT had late complications. Ten of 15 patients (67%) with late complications had a Brinkman index exceeding 600. Conclusions. HDR-ISBT is useful and easily applied under local anesthesia to early or superficial lesions of the mobile tongue. However, we found an increase in late complications, such as soft-tissue ulcers and bone exposure, after irradiation of tongue cancer with 60 Gy HDR-ISBT in patients with a Brinkman index greater than 600. © Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Springer-Verlag Tokyo 2005.