Shortening radiotherapy times helps in head and neck cancer
Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Increasing the number of weekly radiotherapy treatments gives better control of head and neck cancer. Radiotherapy is a standard treatment for head and neck cancer, but there has been some controversy over the duration of treatment. Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, have compared giving treatment for five times a week and six times a week - with the total dose being the same.

Those given six treatments a week had 10 per cent better tumor control at five years - 70 per cent - compared to those given five treatments a week. The accelerated radiotherapy was also better in helping voice preservation among those with laryngeal cancer. It was also associated with a slightly better overall survival rate. The researchers noted that within the accelerated group some did much better than others. They are now looking into the factors underlying these differences in response.

Source: The Lancet 20th September 2003