A comparison of the late radiation changes after three schedules of radiotherapy.

The late radiation change observed in 15 patients treated for carcinoma of oral cavity or oropharynx using continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART) was compared to that seen in 15 similar patients treated with conventional radiotherapy. The average follow up was, 31 and 33 months, respectively. A new dictionary for the recording of radiation morbidity, developed in our centre, was employed and proved highly satisfactory in the recording of the changes observed in these patients and also in a third group treated by a combination of chemotherapy and hypofractionated radiotherapy in hyperbaric oxygen. The dictionary was able to record all the morbidity clinically seen with these three treatment schemes. The late changes observed in skin and mucosa with CHART were similar to those observed with conventional radiotherapy, but hair regrowth was observed in six out of 10 men treated with CHART compared with persistent, partial or complete hair loss in all nine men treated with the conventional scheme; after CHART there was also a trend towards less taste impairment and less severe dryness of mouth.