Full-dose reirradiation for unresectable head and neck carcinoma: experience at the Gustave-Roussy Institute in a series of 169 patients.

Abstract

Full-dose reirradiation combined with chemotherapy was feasible in patients with inoperable HNC. The incidence and severity of late toxicity was markedly increased in comparison to that observed after the first irradiation. Median survival was better than that generally obtained using palliative chemotherapy alone. A small proportion of patients were long-term disease-free survivors.