Objective: To assess retrospectively the outcome and morbidity of Iridium-192 brachytherapy in the treatment of oral cancers.
Design: Retrospective audit of cases treated between 1981 and 1991.
Setting: Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Subjects: 73 patients with oral cancer treated with Iridium-192.
Main outcome measures: Local control, crude and cause specific survival, and local morbidity.
Results: Seventy four cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity were treated using interstitial Iridium-192. The disease specific 5-year survival rates were 69% for T1, 67% for T2, and 0% for T3 tumours. Mortality from recurrent cancer was 20%, and from intercurrent disease was 28%. The incidence of major radiation induced morbidity was 11%, and the local control rate was 81% for T1, 69% for T2, and 50% for T3 tumours.
Conclusion: Interstitial radiotherapy remains a viable and valuable mode of treatment for a small proportion of patients presenting with early (T1 and T2) oral cancers.