Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer in elderly patients.

Radiother Oncol

Department of Clinical Oncology, Christie Hospital, Oak Road, Withington, Manchester, UK.

Published: October 2003

Background And Purpose: Elderly patients with head and neck cancer may not be treated aggressively with radiotherapy, due to concerns regarding tolerance of treatment and toxicity. A retrospective study was undertaken of patients aged 80 years and over, treated by definitive radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Material And Methods: 98 patients aged 80-92 received radiotherapy for carcinoma of the head and neck between 1991 and 1995. All patients received beam directed radiotherapy with radical intent using an immobilisation shell.

Results: Cancer specific survival was 59% and overall local control was 70% at 5 years. Both were significantly affected by T stage and site of disease. Cancer specific survival was comparable to that of patients aged below 80 years. Seven patients died within 6 months of the treatment. Three patients developed severe late toxicity. Metastatic disease occurred in eight patients.

Conclusions: Radiotherapy is a beneficial and well tolerated treatment in elderly patients with carcinoma of the head and neck.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0167-8140(03)00249-4DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

head neck
20
elderly patients
12
patients aged
12
patients
9
radiotherapy head
8
neck cancer
8
aged years
8
carcinoma head
8
cancer specific
8
specific survival
8

Similar Publications

The nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) contains neurons that relay sensory swallowing commands information from the oropharyngeal cavity and swallowing premotor neurons of the dorsal swallowing group (DSG). However, the spatio-temporal dynamics of the interplay between the sensory relay and the DSG is not well understood. Here, we employed fluorescence imaging after microinjection of the calcium indicator into the NTS in an arterially perfused brainstem preparation of rat (n = 8) to investigate neuronal population activity in the NTS in response to superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) stimulation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hyperoxia-induced brain injury is a severe neurological complication that is often accompanied by adverse long-term prognosis. The pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced brain injury is highly complex, with neuroinflammation playing a crucial role. The activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which plays a pivotal role in regulating and amplifying the inflammatory response, is the pathological core of hyperoxia-induced brain injury.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Biological therapy in Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Expert Rev Clin Immunol

January 2025

Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a heterogeneous disease. High proportions of patients with CRSwNP characterized by type 2 inflammation fail to gain adequate control with conventional medical and surgical approaches. The application of biologics in clinical practice and assessments of novel biologics in clinical trials are blooming in expectations to fulfill the unmet medical needs of patients with CRSwNP with type 2 inflammation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nasal septal perforations (NSPs) are a common referral to specialist rhinology practice. A wide range of management options have been described but to be able to offer the most effective treatment modalities to our patients we must be able to capture quantitative data on patient symptom burden accurately and robustly.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Therapeutic Effects of GDF6-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Upregulation of the GDF15/SIRT1 Axis in Age-Related Hearing Loss.

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed)

January 2025

Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, 330006 Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.

Background: It has been reported the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on hearing loss. This study explored the therapeutic effects of growth differentiation factor 6 (GDF6) overexpression-induced MSCs (MSCs-GDF6) on age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to evaluate gene expression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!