Interstitial Brachytherapy for Early Oral Tongue Cancer Using Iridium Hairpin or Wire

Although both radiotherapy and surgery can cure the majority of patients with early oral tongue cancer, radiotherapy consisting mainly of interstitial brachytherapy has the advantage of preserving the tongue function. Interstitial brachytherapy alone employing iridium-192 hairpins or wires has been the standard radiotherapy during the past few years for localised early oral tongue cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong. Close adherence to appropriate techniques for preimplant preparation, implantation, dosimetric calculation, and postimplant nursing should yield rewarding results with a good therapeutic index.