Hypofractionated radiotherapy denoted as the "Christie scheme": an effective means of palliating patients with head and neck cancers not suitable for curative treatment.

OBJECTIVES: A prospective study of the efficacy and toxicity profile of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) without curative treatment options treated consistently with hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2006, 158 patients with HNSCC, unsuitable for curative treatment, were treated with a hypofractionated scheme of radiotherapy consisting of 16 fractions of 3.125 Gy. Endpoints of the study were response rates, loco-regional control, disease-free survival, overall survival, acute and late toxicity, and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: Seventy four percent of patients were male, 31% had oropharyngeal cancer and 81% stage IV disease. With 45% complete response and 28% partial response an overall response rate of 73% was achieved, 6% had stable disease, and 21% progressed during or directly after completion of treatment. Median survival time was 17 months and 62 patients (40%) survived > or =1 year after RT. The actuarial rates of loco-regional control, disease-free survival and overall survival were 62%, 32% and 40% at 1-year, respectively and 32%, 14% and 17% at 3-years, respectively. Acute grade > or =3 skin and mucosal toxicities were observed in 45% and 65% of patients, respectively. Severe late toxicity was reported in 4.5% of patients. Of patients surviving > or =1 year after RT, retrospective chart review showed that 50% gained weight, pain improved in 77%, performance status in 47% and only 29% of them was still feeding-tube dependent. CONCLUSIONS: Our hypofractionated radiotherapy scheme is an effective, well-tolerated and safe palliative schedule in HNSCC who are unsuitable for curative treatment options. Using 3.125 Gy per fraction (Christie scheme), excellent palliation was achieved resulting in acceptable response rates, excellent symptom control, acceptable toxicity profile, and good QoL of patients surviving > or =1 year after completion of treatment.

Bladder function preservation with brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy, and limited surgery in bladder cancer patients: Long-term results [corrected].

PURPOSE: To report long-term results of a bladder preservation strategy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) using external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy/interstitial radiation therapy (IRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between May 1989 and October 2011, 192 selected patients with MIBC were treated with a combined regimen of preoperative external beam radiation therapy and subsequent surgical exploration with or without partial cystectomy and insertion of source carrier tubes for afterloading IRT using low dose rate and pulsed dose rate. Data for oncologic and functional outcomes were prospectively collected. The primary endpoints were local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), bladder function preservation survival, and salvage cystectomy-free survival. The endpoints were constructed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 105.5 months. The LRFS rate was 80% and 73% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Salvage cystectomy-free survival at 5 and 10 years was 93% and 85%. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 65% and 46%, whereas cancer-specific survival at 5 and 10 years was 75% and 67%. The distant metastases-free survival rate was 76% and 69% at 5 and 10 years. Multivariate analysis revealed no independent predictors of LRFS. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade ≥3 late bladder and rectum toxicity were recorded in 11 patients (5.7%) and 2 patients (1%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A multimodality bladder-sparing regimen using IRT offers excellent long-term oncologic outcome in selected patients with MIBC. The late toxicity rate is low, and the majority of patients preserve their functional bladder.