International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Dec 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAnemia is associated with decreased survival and increased locoregional failure in patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinoma: a secondary analysis of RTOG 85-27.
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the strength of association between anemia and overall survival, locoregional failure, and late radiation therapy (RT) complications in a large prospective study of patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated with conventional radiotherapy with or without a hypoxic cell sensitizer. ⋯ Low Hgb levels are associated with a statistically significant reduction in survival and an increase in locoregional failure in this large prospective study of patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Hgb level should be considered as a stratification variable in subsequent studies of head and neck cancer. Strategies to increase Hgb prior to RT in patients with head and neck cancer may lead to improved survival and loco-regional control.