Dose reduction trial from 60 Gy in 10 fractions to 54 Gy in 9 fractions schedule in high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for early oral tongue cancer

To compare the effects of 60 Gy/10 fractions (twice a day) with those of 54 Gy/9 fractions in high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-ISBT) for early tongue cancer, we performed a matched-pair analysis of patients with early tongue cancer (T1-2N0M0), who were treated with 60 or 54 Gy of radiation between 1996 and 2004. Seventeen patients treated with 54 Gy and 34 matched-pair patients treated with 60 Gy were extracted and analyzed. Local recurrence occurred in two patients in the 54-Gy arm and five patients in the 60-Gy arm. The 2-year local control rates were 88% for both the 54-Gy arm and 60-Gy arm (not significant). The 2-year overall survival rates were 88% in the 60-Gy arm and 82% in the 54-Gy arm. Two-year actuarial complication-free rates were 91% in the 60-Gy arm and 83% in the 54-Gy arm (not significant), respectively. There was no significant association between the total dose and local control rate and late complications. The outcome of 54 Gy/ 9 fractions was similar to that of 60 Gy/ 10 fractions in patients with early tongue cancer.