Background:  about 1.93 lakhs new cases of head neck cancer are diagnosed and 1.14 lakhs deaths occurred due to head neck cancer, per year in India. India contributes to up to 15.6% of the global cancer burden and 12.1% of global cancer deaths. (globocan 2018)^[1] India accounts for the highest incidence of oral and oro-pharyngeal cancers. For early stages, chemo-radiotherapy or surgery are equally effective. For advanced stages require multimodality treatment. Standard chemo-radiotherapy requires 2gy per fractions, 5 fractions per week for 7 weeks.

Materials and Methods: Total 57patients (29 for arm a- conventional chemo-radiation and 28 for arm b- accelerated radiotherapy) were selected from the cross section of patients registered at the j. K. Cancer institute and other associated hospitals of g. S. V. M medical college, Kanpur from December 2017 to august 2019. Histologically proven carcinoma patients by way of biopsy were evaluated. The data thus obtained were assessed, analyzed and compared to find out difference in all the groups in terms of tumor response and quality of life by using t test.

Results: Out of 29 patients, in arm a, 19 (65.52%) and in arm b, 17 patients (60.71%) had complete response (cr) and the rest of the patients had partial response.

Conclusion: Accelerated fractionated radiotherapy that is six fractions per week is reasonable alternative to the conventional regimen that is five fractions per week, offers advantages of decreased overall treatment time, better compliance and decreased hospital stay with comparable response rate but significantly increased low grade acute reaction which were manageable.

Keywords: accelerated radiotherapy, chemo-radiotherapy, mucositis, oral cavity, oropharyngeal cancers.

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Anand Prakash Sachan

Resident, J.K.C I G.S.V.M. Medical College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India