Radiation therapy of carcinoma of the maxillary antrum

The total number of 187 cases with carcinoma of the maxillary antrum treated at National Cancer Center from 1962 to 1971 were divided into two groups. Group A (1962 to 1966) consisted of 90 cases, of which 72.2% received mainly radiotherapy with dose over 6000 rad. Group B (1967 to 1972) consisted of 97 cases, of which patients irradiated with over 6000 rad was 21.6% and intraarterial infusion of 5-FU was combined. As the injuries after irradiation, 48 cases developed radiation cataract. Advanced disturbances of visual acuity by cataract was caused by the radiation with over 4000 rad in about two-thirds of them within 2yrs and in one third within 3to 5 yrs. In 13 patients with shielding of the eyeball from the beginning, no complications of the eyes were found except in one patient. In the injuries of the bone and the soft tissue, the fragments of the bones irradiated with high doses were easily infected and were incurable when osteomyelitis was complicated. Five cases in the over5-year survival cases showed third-degree injuries of the tissue from external irradiation with over 6000 rad. The 3-year crude survival rate of A and B group was 51.6 and 46.0% respectively, andmore » the 5-year crude survival rate in the whole was 42.2%. Adequate combination of radiotherapy, intraarterial infusion for chemotherapy, and surgery are now under study. At present, the dose of 5-Fu was tentatively determined at 3000 mg and the radiation was 4000 rad. For the improvement of therapeutic results, programmings with plans of radiotherapy of each case and the managements of the detailed information on personal history are now under preparation as a radiotherapy using electric computer. (JA)« less