Curative radiotherapy for early cancers of the lip, buccal mucosa, and nose--a simple interstitial brachytherapy technique employing angiocatheters as carriers for Iridium-192 wire implants.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate treatment outcomes following interstitial brachytherapy for cancers of the lip, buccal mucosa, or nose. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Regional hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS A cohort of 13 patients treated uniformly by a simple interstitial brachytherapy technique employing plastic angiocatheters as carriers for Iridium-192 wires: all but one patient had T1 or T2 tumours and all but one had N0 disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Local and loco-regional control rates. RESULTS Six of the 13 patients received external radiotherapy prior to interstitial brachytherapy. A median brachytherapy dose of 70 Gy was delivered to those treated with brachytherapy alone, while 35 Gy was delivered after a median external radiotherapy dose of 50 Gy to those receiving combined treatment. The 3-year actuarial local control rate was 75%. No significant late complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS Employing a simple brachytherapy technique using angiocatheters and Iridium-192 wires, in conjunction with external radiotherapy when appropriate, produces good outcomes for patients with early lip, nasal vestibule, and buccal mucosa cancers.