To study and explores the feasibility and efficacy of re-irradiation (Re-RT) for locally recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC) and second primary (SP) malignancies.

The most common form of treatment failure after radiotherapy (RT) for HNC is loco-regional recurrence (LRR), and around 20-50% of patients develop LRR. Re-irradiation (Re-RT) has been the primary standard of care in the last decade for unresectable locally recurrent/SP HNC.

It was a retrospective analysis in which we reviewed the medical records of 51 consecutive patients who had received Re-RT to the head and neck region at our institute between 2006 and 2015.

Forty-eight patients were included for assessment of acute and late toxicities, response evaluation at 3 months post Re-RT, and analyses of locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS). The median LRC was 11.2 months, and at 2 and 5 years the LRC rates were 41% and 21.2%, respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed two factors: initial surgical resection performed prior to Re-RT, and achievement of CR at 3 months after completion of Re-RT to be significantly associated with a better median LRC. The median OS was 28.2 months, and at 1, 2, and 5 years, OS were 71.1%, 55.9% and 18%, respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed initial surgical resection performed prior to Re-RT, and achievement of CR at 3 months post completion of Re-RT being only two factors significantly associated with a better median OS. Acute toxicity reports showed that no patients developed grade 5 toxicity, and 2 patients developed grade 4 acute toxicities.

Re-RT for the treatment of recurrent/SP head and neck tumors is feasible and effective, with acceptable toxicity. However, appropriate patient selection criteria are highly important in determining survival and treatment outcomes.