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Interstitial Brachytherapy in ENT and Head & Neck Surgery
(Sourced from Cummings Otolaryngology, Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, KJ Lee's Essential Otolaryngology, and Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology)
1. Historical Background and Basic Principles in H&N
Brachytherapy in head and neck cancer has deep roots - the first documented successful treatment was reported in 1899, when Thor Stenberg treated a nasal basal cell carcinoma with radium over 9 months, with the patient alive 30 years later. In 1901, Dr. Frand Williams in Boston reported successful treatment of a lip cancer. Radium was initially applied only to superficial sites because of severe toxicities; physicians later began inserting it directly into deep-seated tumors, founding the field of brachytherapy.
Core principle: Radiation dose from an implanted source obeys the inverse square law - it falls off rapidly with distance, allowing very high doses to be concentrated at the target (tumor) while sparing surrounding healthy tissues (including bone, nerve, major vessels).
Key advantage in H&N: Better dose localization → less radiation damage to surrounding healthy tissue, and prolonged time over which radiation is delivered.
Key disadvantage in H&N: Does not address subclinical nodal disease; requires general anesthesia in many cases; close proximity of mandible creates risk of osteoradionecrosis.
- Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1343, 1361
2. Radioactive Sources Used in H&N Brachytherapy
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| Iridium-192 (¹⁹²Ir) | LDR afterloading or HDR | Most widely used; dose rate 0.4-0.8 Gy/hour (LDR); or >12 Gy/hour (HDR remote afterloading) |
| Cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) | LDR needles | Traditional use; being replaced by ¹⁹²Ir |
| Radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) | Historical | Needles for implants; now largely obsolete |
| Gold-198 (¹⁹⁸Au) | Permanent grains | Used for nasopharyngeal recurrences (grain implantation) |
| Iodine-125 (¹²⁵I) | Permanent seeds | Low energy; used in selected cases |
A typical ¹⁹²Ir LDR implant delivers approximately 0.4-0.8 Gy/hour. HDR remote afterloading devices drive a single high-activity ¹⁹²Ir source through a set of interstitial catheters under computer control; typically 3.0-3.5 Gy is delivered to ~1 cm from the catheter periphery per treatment, with up to two daily treatments ~6 hours apart, each lasting 15-30 minutes depending on source strength and implant complexity.
- Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1361
3. Site-by-Site Applications
A. Oral Tongue (Mobile Tongue)
Radiotherapy (brachytherapy preferred over EBRT) has been advocated as a primary treatment modality because it conserves tongue volume and morphology - an enormous functional advantage.
Indications:
- T1-T2 tumors of mobile tongue not suitable for surgery, or where organ preservation is prioritized
- Brachytherapy alone or as a boost after EBRT
Technique: ¹⁹²Ir interstitial implant through the tongue tissue, using afterloading catheters placed to encompass the tumor with adequate margins.
Outcomes: Brachytherapy is considered preferable to EBRT for tongue primaries in terms of dose localization and functional preservation.
Key limitation - Osteoradionecrosis (ORN): The mandible lies in close proximity to the tongue. Up to 9% of patients develop some form of osseous complication following tongue brachytherapy. This is a recognized and major concern that has led some centers to prefer surgery as primary treatment, keeping radiotherapy in reserve for:
- Poor pathologic prognostic indicators post-resection
- Recurrence
- Second primaries
An important additional consideration is that when surgery is not used as the primary modality, valuable histopathological prognostic information is lost - making decisions about elective neck dissection (END) more difficult.
Some authorities suggest surgery is superior to brachytherapy for Stage I/II tongue cancer for this reason (retaining radiotherapy as a reserve modality).
- Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology, p. 6861
B. Floor of Mouth
Indications:
- T1/T2 floor-of-mouth carcinomas - brachytherapy (or EBRT) has been shown to give results comparable to surgery
Key limitation - ORN risk is particularly high here:
-
The floor of mouth lies in direct proximity to the mandible
-
Up to 8.5% of patients treated with brachytherapy for floor-of-mouth cancer require segmental mandibulectomy for osteoradionecrosis within 10 years (Gustave-Roussy Institute series; Pernot et al., Marsiglia et al.)
-
Several major units have changed practice from brachytherapy to surgery as the primary treatment modality for floor-of-mouth cancer, specifically because of this complication risk
-
T3/T4 lesions are best treated with surgery + post-operative radiotherapy (PORT)
-
Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology, p. 6641-6652
C. Base of Tongue (Oropharynx)
Role of brachytherapy: RT for base of tongue is often performed as a combination of EBRT + interstitial ¹⁹²Ir implant.
Outcomes data (Cummings Otolaryngology):
| Treatment | T1 Local Control | T2 Local Control |
|---|
| EBRT alone (primary) | 78-96% | 47-88% |
| EBRT + brachytherapy implant | 71-100% | 71-100% |
| EBRT alone vs. combined | EBRT alone = unacceptably high failure rate (2× other groups) | |
Houssef et al. compared surgery + adjuvant RT vs. EBRT + ¹⁹²Ir implant vs. EBRT alone for T1/T2 base-of-tongue cancers and found:
- Surgery + adjuvant RT ≈ EBRT + implant (comparable results)
- EBRT alone showed unacceptable failure rate - twice as high as the other two groups
For salvage/recurrent disease, afterloading techniques with ¹⁹²Ir have achieved local control of 59% and actuarial survival of 48%, though residual/recurrent tongue base disease remains a demanding problem.
- Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1793
D. Tonsillar Region / Oropharynx
Salvage surgery after primary RT in the tonsillar region carries high mortality and low 5-year survival (Gehanno et al.: 5-year survival 24%, mortality as high as 8% in 120 patients).
Two investigations support brachytherapy salvage in the tonsillar region:
-
5-year survival rate: 64% (one series)
-
2-year survival rate: 42% (another series)
-
Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1792
E. Nasopharynx (Recurrent/Salvage Setting)
Brachytherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is used specifically in the salvage setting for local failure following primary chemoradiation, as an alternative to re-irradiation with EBRT (which has poor outcomes due to proximity of brainstem, optic chiasm, and temporal lobe to the treatment field).
Rationale: Traditional 2D re-irradiation for NPC local failure has a 5-year survival of only 7.6% due to dose constraints protecting vital organs. Brachytherapy delivers a high dose with limited penetration - ideal for small recurrences without deep invasion.
Radioactive sources:
- Iridium-192 (¹⁹²Ir): The source is loaded into a tailor-made plastic mould fitted into the nasopharynx. The mould is placed transorally (via the oral cavity) under local anaesthesia.
- Gold-198 (¹⁹⁸Au) grains: Implanted directly into the nasopharynx after the soft palate is split open under general anaesthesia.
Patient selection: Both techniques are only suitable for small tumors <2 cm in maximal dimension (no deep invasion).
Outcomes:
- 5-year survival: 50-60% for salvage brachytherapy of NPC local recurrence
As an alternative to brachytherapy, stereotactic RT (3D/IMRT-based) for NPC local salvage has shown 5-year overall survival 40% and local control 57% (series of 30 patients) - brachytherapy outcomes are superior but patient selection is stricter (smaller tumors only).
Brachytherapy also has a potential role in nodal failure in NPC, used in conjunction with surgical resection of nodal metastasis (the limited penetration of brachytherapy makes it suitable as an adjunct after debulking surgery).
- Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology, p. 8504-8520
F. Orbit and Paranasal Sinuses (Intracavitary, H&N)
The orbit and nasopharynx are the most common intracavitary head and neck brachytherapy sites. Custom PMMA (acrylic) stents are constructed around catheters into which radioisotopic seeds are inserted:
-
The radiation oncologist/physicist prescribes catheter positions in consultation with the maxillofacial prosthodontic team, after generating a master cast from an impression of the site
-
Stents are retained in position by anatomic soft tissue undercuts or alveolar structures
-
After maxillectomy, intracavitary void-filling with tissue-equivalent material improves dose distribution (preventing uneven dosing of peripheral tissues around the surgical defect)
-
Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1702
G. Lip Cancer
One of the original sites treated with brachytherapy historically (1901 - Dr. Williams, Boston). Lip carcinoma remains amenable to interstitial brachytherapy, particularly for:
-
Small T1-T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the lip
-
As an organ-preserving alternative to surgery for cosmetically sensitive sites
-
Cummings Otolaryngology, p. 1343
4. Technique Summary for H&N Interstitial BT
LDR ¹⁹²Ir Interstitial Implant (Standard Technique)
- Planning phase: CT/MRI-based volumetric planning; catheter positions determined to achieve adequate dose to tumor with acceptable dose to adjacent mandible, vessels, nerves
- Implant procedure: Under general anaesthesia (most cases); hollow plastic catheters or metal needles inserted through the tumor-bearing tissue
- Afterloading: ¹⁹²Ir sources loaded into catheters; patient cared for in a shielded room during treatment
- Dose delivery: 0.4-0.8 Gy/hour continuously over 2-6 days
- Source removal: All sources and catheters removed at end of treatment
HDR Remote Afterloading (Modern Approach)
- Computer-controlled robotic ¹⁹²Ir source driven through catheters
- Dwells at 5 mm intervals; dwell times modulated to optimize dose distribution
- Each fraction: 3.0-3.5 Gy to ~1 cm from catheter periphery
- Up to 2 fractions per day (at least 6 hours apart)
- Each treatment: 15-30 minutes
- Advantages: Eliminates radiation exposure to nursing/medical staff; outpatient delivery possible
5. Combinations with EBRT
In head and neck cancer, interstitial brachytherapy is frequently used as a boost following a course of EBRT:
- EBRT addresses the primary tumor plus regional lymphatics (elective or therapeutic nodal irradiation)
- Brachytherapy delivers an additional dose increment to the primary tumor bed, achieving higher total doses than either modality alone
- This combination is the standard approach for base-of-tongue carcinoma and is used in other oral cavity sites
6. Complications Specific to H&N Brachytherapy
| Complication | Details |
|---|
| Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of mandible | Most feared; up to 9% for tongue BT, up to 8.5% requiring segmental mandibulectomy for floor-of-mouth BT; high local doses from BT increase incidence; risk further raised by microvascular disease (atherosclerosis, diabetes) and post-RT dental extractions |
| Soft tissue necrosis | Histologically: epithelial hyperplasia → dermal fibrosis → necrosis; Marx characterized tissue as "hypoxic, hypocellular, hypovascular" |
| Mucositis | Acute; self-limiting; universal to varying degree with all H&N RT |
| Xerostomia | From inclusion of salivary glands in the radiation field |
| Trismus | Radiation fibrosis of masticator muscles |
| Radiation-related fistulae | In high-dose zones near mucosa |
| Radioprotection requirements | LDR implants require patient isolation in shielded room; HDR remote afterloading eliminates this (no radiation exposure to staff during treatment) |
ORN pathophysiology (Scott-Brown's Vol. 2):
- Impaired tissue repair capacity
- Vasculitis → obliteration of blood vessels → avascular necrosis
- Marx triad: hypoxic + hypocellular + hypovascular tissue
- Macroscopically: loss of skin/soft tissue exposing bone, bony sequestration, secondary infection
Note on temporal bone: The compact (non-cancellous) nature of the petrous temporal bone and poor blood supply of the tympanic ring make this region particularly susceptible to ORN from brachytherapy of adjacent tumors.
- Scott-Brown's Vol. 2, p. 1011
- Cummings Otolaryngology (Key Points, p. 1702)
7. Contraindications and Patient Selection
| Factor | Implication |
|---|
| Tumor > 2 cm in nasopharynx | Contraindication to NPC salvage BT |
| Deep invasion of tumor | Contraindication to BT (limited penetration cannot cover deep extension) |
| Prior high-dose RT to site | Increased ORN risk; careful re-treatment planning needed |
| Poor dental hygiene | Must optimize dental care pre-BT to reduce ORN risk |
| Diabetes / atherosclerosis | Increased ORN risk; relative contraindication to BT near mandible |
| Need for nodal treatment | BT alone insufficient; must add EBRT or neck dissection |
8. Summary Table: BT Applications by H&N Site
| Site | Role | Source/Technique | Key Outcome Data | Main Risk |
|---|
| Oral tongue (T1-T2) | Primary or EBRT boost; organ preservation | ¹⁹²Ir LDR/HDR interstitial | Comparable to surgery for T1/T2 | ORN 9% |
| Floor of mouth (T1-T2) | Primary (results = surgery); T3/T4 → surgery + PORT | ¹⁹²Ir LDR interstitial | ~= surgery; many units switching to surgery | ORN up to 8.5% → mandibulectomy |
| Base of tongue | EBRT + BT boost (standard); salvage afterloading | ¹⁹²Ir LDR/HDR interstitial | T1: 71-100%; T2: 71-100% (EBRT + BT) | Functional swallowing |
| Tonsillar region | Salvage after RT failure | ¹⁹²Ir afterloading | 5-yr survival 64%; 2-yr survival 42% | High operative mortality if surgical salvage used |
| Nasopharynx (recurrent) | Salvage for small (<2 cm) recurrences | ¹⁹²Ir mould or ¹⁹⁸Au grains | 5-yr survival 50-60% | Limited to tumors without deep invasion |
| Orbit/sinus (intracavitary) | Post-maxillectomy/targeted | PMMA stent with ¹²⁵I seeds | Site-specific | Dosimetric consistency |
| Lip (T1-T2) | Primary; cosmetic preservation | Interstitial needles | Historically effective (first H&N site treated, 1901) | ORN (low risk, away from mandible) |
Sources:
- Cummings Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery - Chapter 75 (Radiation Therapy Principles) & Chapter 96 (Oropharyngeal Cancers)
- Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery - Oral tongue, floor of mouth, and nasopharynx chapters
- Scott-Brown's Vol. 2 - Osteoradionecrosis chapter
- KJ Lee's Essential Otolaryngology - Oral tongue cancer chapter
- Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology - Brachytherapy principles chapter