Duke Physicians Find Intensive Radiation Therapy Can Save Lives, Improve Quality,,Of Life For Patients With Head And Ne...( ay for fiveto six weeks. At the same t...),Health

The researchers found the combined treatment was more successful in controlling the cancer and in stopping recurrence of tumors. Sixty-one percent of the combined treatment patients were still disease-free after three years, compared to 41 percent for the intensive radiation therapy alone. However, both groups did much better than the 25 percent to 30 percent survival that would have been expected with standard once-a-day radiation treatment. The researchers found no increased long-term complications from the addition of the chemotherapy to the radiation.

"We are encouraged by these results," Brizel added. "However, it is important to remember that many patients still die from this disease. We are continuing to try to improve our treatment strategies to help more patients live longer, fuller lives."

Dr. Mary Albers, Dr. Samuel Fisher, Dr. Richard Scher, Dr. William Richtsmeier, Vera Hars, Stephen George, Dr. Andrew Huang and Dr. Leonard Prosnitz, all of Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, also contributed to the study.

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Contact: Karyn Hede George
Georg016@mc.duke.edu
919-684-4148
Duke University Medical Center
18-Jun-1998