Radiation therapy for advanced head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma using twice-a-day fractionation.

Fifteen patients with massive advanced squamous-cell carcioma of the head and neck received radiation therapy under the twice-a-day fractionation regimen. The purpose was to increase the therapeutic ratio by minimizing sublethal radiation damage to normal tissue while allowing reoxygenation of radioresistant hypoxic tumor cells. Results demonstrated better local control than can be achieved through once-a-day fractionation, with 53% of the patients showing no evidence of primary tumor at the end of therapy, and 60% showing complete regression of cervical lymphadenopathy.