TECHNIQUES AND RESULTS OF BRACHYTHERAPY FOR CACINOMA OF THE TONGUE

Three hundred and twelve patients with 1987 UICC T1, 2 carcinoma of the tongue, who underwent definitive brachytherapy from November, 1978 to March, 1991 in the Department of Radiology, Kyushu University Hospital, and from January, 1985 to December, 1994 in the Department of Radiotherapy, Kyushu Cancer Center, were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were admitted 15-30mg Pentazocine and 0.25mg Atropine sulfate as the premeditation. Thirty to 60 minutes after, the tip of tongue and the lesion were put under local infiltration anesthesia with 10-20ml of 1-2% Lidocaine or 1% Procaine HCL. The tongue was pulled out by the thread of the tip. Partial resection or wide excisional biopsy of the tumor was performed to reduce the tumor volume and the radiation volume and also to estimate Jacobson-Yamamoto's grading histologically in the bottom of the tumor. Radium needles or Iriridium hair pins were implanted in the lesion following Paterson's method, and left for 3-10 days to the minimum tumor dose of 70Gy calculated by computer. The secondary neck lymphnode metastases rates of the patients with T1 carcinoma of the tongue were 27% and 53% in the Jacobson-Yamamoto grading 1-3 group and 4 group. The rates of the patients with T2 were 28% and 82% in 1-3 group and 4 group. Two year's local control rates of the patients with T1 and T2 carcinoma were 95% and 82%, Two year's late reaction (mandibular bone exposure or refractory ulcer of soft tissue) rates of the patients with T1 and T2 carcinoma were 7% and 12%.