Topics:
Radiation Oncology • Melanoma/Skin Cancer
Do you recommend using altered fractionation for a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in the head and neck region who cannot receive concurrent chemotherapy?
For example, if you had an octogenarian with a previously resected squamous cell carcinoma of the skin who presented with metastases to the parotid and cervical lymph nodes, but cannot undergo resection or receive chemotherapy, would you consider treating with 35 fractions over 6 weeks? Are other dose-fractionation regimens also appropriate?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
In an octagenarian who cannot undergo surgery or chemotherapy, I would be reluctant to use an accelerated curative-intent radiotherapy regimen. This is primarily because meta-analyses of altered fractionation mucosal head and neck cancer have shown limited improvement in outcome over conventio...
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