[Initial results of high-dose-rate afterloading treatment of tumors in the head and neck region].

First results of high-dose-rate afterloading therapy in the head-neck area are encouraging. The procedure is not very invasive and is suitable especially for older patients, not tolerating much, who can be hardly submitted another therapeutic method. The limited spatial dose distribution allows a careful treatment of the surrounding tissue in spite of the application of high single doses, however limits the size of tumors too, that the afterloading therapy is possible in (max. 2 cm). The method represents an alternative of the much more complicated procedure of the low-dose contact therapy, that affects the patients in a stronger way like interstitial therapy and moulage treatment. No tumor recurrences or metastasis were seen in our patients. Influence of alteration in fractionation rhythm and of application of sources with very high dose capacity will be the subject of further studies.