Short Course Radiation Therapy in Palliative Treatment

Short Course Accelerated Radiation Therapy in Palliative Treatment of Advanced Head and Neck Malignancies

The study wants to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety and efficacy of a short course radiation treatment in patients with symptomatic advanced head and neck cancer.

The study wants to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of a conformal short course accelerated radiation therapy delivered in twice daily fractions and 2 consecutive days, and the feasibility of this fractionation in term of safety and efficacy for symptomatic palliation of metastatic or locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

• histologically proven locally advanced or metastatic H&N cancer
• excluded from curative therapy because of disease stage and/or presence of multiple comorbidities and/or poor performance status
• age > 18 years
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status < 3

Exclusion Criteria:

• prior RT to the same region.