A prospective cohort of 250 patients with recurrent (two-thirds) or second primary (one-third) head and neck cancers following previous definitive or adjuvant head and neck irradiation treated at Tata Memorial between 2013-2017 aims to clarify who is best suited for reirradiation. Ultimately, 177 (71%) patients received reirradiation, largely selected based on a long disease-free interval with a median of 44 months from prior radiation. At 3 years, locoregional control was 56%, disease-free survival 42%, and overall survival 57%. For those who underwent surgery prior to reirradiation (n=129), locoregional control was 59%, disease-free survival 48%, and overall survival an impressive 70%, Unsurprisingly, younger age, lower reported toxicity with initial treatment, and resected recurrent tumor was associated with longer survival following reirradiation. | Laskar, Clin Oncol 2025
