Irradiation scheme using three daily fractions in the radiation therapy of pharyngeal and oral carcinomas.

A group of 34 patients were treated by irradiation using 3 daily fractions of 1 Gy each at 4 h intervals. The overall TD in all of the patients was 60 Gy administered within 26 days. The irradiation was carried out by telecurietherapy utilizing 60Co. Twenty-eight patients had the tumor in the oropharynx, 1 in the hypopharynx, 1 in the oro- and hypopharynx and 4 in the oral cavity. There was a prevalence of advanced clinical stages. At present 25 of the patients are living, 21 of them without clinical symptoms of the disease. The skin reacted to irradiation only with a slight erythema and hyperpigmentation. Irradiation reactions in the oropharyngeal and oral mucosa were grave and were accompanied by significant subjective complaints. No post-irradiation complications were observed.