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Effect of radiotherapy delay in overall treatment time on local control and survival in head and neck cancer: Review of the literature
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Abstract
Treatment delays in completing radiotherapy (RT) for many neoplasms are a major problem affecting treatment outcome, as increasingly shown in the literature. Overall treatment time (OTT) could be a critical predictor of local tumor control and/or survival. In an attempt to establish a protocol for managing delays during RT, especially for heavily overloaded units, we have extensively reviewed the available literature on head and neck cancer. We confirmed a large deleterious effect of prolonged OTT on both local control and survival of these patients.
Abstract
Treatment delays in completing radiotherapy (RT) for many neoplasms are a major problem affecting treatment outcome, as increasingly shown in the literature. Overall treatment time (OTT) could be a critical predictor of local tumor control and/or survival. In an attempt to establish a protocol for managing delays during RT, especially for heavily overloaded units, we have extensively reviewed the available literature on head and neck cancer. We confirmed a large deleterious effect of prolonged OTT on both local control and survival of these patients.
Keywords
Radiotherapy; Overall treatment time; Delays; Local control; Survival
About this articleTitle
Effect of radiotherapy delay in overall treatment time on local control and survival in head and neck cancer: Review of the literature
Journal
Reports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy
Issue
Pages
328-339
Published online
2015-09-01
DOI
10.1016/j.rpor.2015.05.010
Bibliographic record
Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2015;20(5):328-339.
Keywords
Radiotherapy
Overall treatment time
Delays
Local control
Survival
Authors
José A. González Ferreira
Javier Jaén Olasolo
Ignacio Azinovic
Branislav Jeremic