Surgery Medical News about Paraganglioma of the Head and Neck

Your Article Summary

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Chino JP et al. – Study demonstrates that radiotherapy (RT) is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for paragangliomas of the head and neck.

Methods

Aim was to investigate the strategies of optimal management for long-term control of paragangliomas of the head and neck
Retrospective study identified all paragangliomas of the head and neck treated with definitive fractionated radiotherapy from 1963 to 2005 with min 2-yr f/u
Local control (LC) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method

Results

31 pts identified, treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT; median dose: 54 Gy, range: 38-65 Gy)
12 pts were treated with megavoltage photon; 19 with either cobalt-60 or cesium-137
14 (45%) had undergone resection preceding radiation
Median f/u was 9 yrs (range: 2-35 yrs), with 10 pts having >15-yr f/u
LC at 5, 10, and 15 yrs was 96%, 90%, and 90%, respectively
There were no failures in the group treated with megavoltage photons
No difference in LC between salvage radiation therapy (RT) used after surgical failure and definitive RT alone
The incidence of acute toxicity >grade 2 was 3%, and there were no late toxicities >grade 2

Paragangliomas of head and neck: a treatment option with CyberKnife radiosurgery
Neurological Sciences, 10/08/09 Relevance Score: 93%