Perioperative HDR brachytherapy for reirradiation in head and neck recurrences: single-institution experience and systematic review.

AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients reirradiated with high-dose-rate (HDR) intensity-modulated brachytherapy (IMBT) for recurrent head and neck cancer and to perform a systematic review of the literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated with prior radiation doses >65 Gy were considered. After resection of macroscopic disease, catheters were fixed to the tumor bed. The total dose was 30 Gy in 12 fractions of 2.5 Gy twice daily for 5 days a week. A systematic literature search was conducted through several electronic databases including Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane library.

RESULTS: Seventeen patients were included; median overall survival was 19 months with a median local control interval of 15 months. Median follow-up was 36 months. Seven papers were considered for the review.

CONCLUSIONS: IMBT could play an important role in the retreatment of recurrent head and neck cancer.