Abstract
Introduction: In a previous report of 35 patients we suggested that pretreatment tumour pO 2 measured by Eppendorf electrodes was predictive of loco-regional control after primary radiotherapy in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Radiother Oncol 41 (1996) 31. Materials and methods: The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis. Therefore, pretreatment tumour pO 2 was measured using the same assay in a new cohort of 35 patients that received an identical treatment being primary radiation along with a total dose of 66–68 Gy as 2 Gy per fraction over 5.5 or 6.5 weeks. Treatment outcome was evaluated as loco-regional control probability at 2 years using the same oxygenation parameter and applying the cut-off value from the first study. Results: In agreement with the hypothesis generating study we found that the loco-regional tumour control probability was significantly higher (90%) among well oxygenated tumours as compared with the hypoxic subgroup (45%) ( P=0.04). Conclusion: This study confirmed that pretreatment tumour oxygenation status was prognostic of loco-regional tumour control after primary radiation alone in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Published Version
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