ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S301

Brachytherapy – Head & neck, skin, eye

ESTRO 2025

Material/Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled patients diagnosed with NV carcinoma and treated with high-dose rate (HDR) IRT at our institution from February to October 2023. The prescribed treatment consisted of 44 Gy delivered in 14 fractions, administered twice daily [2]. We assessed objective toxicity using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0, emphasizing upper airway side effects. QoL was evaluated using the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) at baseline (T0), 1 month (T1), 3 months (T3), 6 months (T6), and 12 months (T12) [3]. Additionally, this study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of long-term QoL outcomes over the 12-month follow-up period. Statistical significance was evaluated using a single-tailed paired t-test.

Results:

A total of 15 patients were included, with a median age of 70 years. As shown in Figure 1, the mean SNOT-22 score significantly decreased from 58 at baseline to 25 at 6 months (p < 0.001), demonstrating a substantial reduction in symptom burden and an overall improvement in QoL. In Figure 1 by 12 months, patients maintained significant QoL benefits (p < 0.001). Objective symptoms, as rhinorrhea and congestion, exhibited a downward trend, with nasal function progressively normalizing over time. These improvements in QoL were observed regardless of the presence of grade 1–2 (G1-G2) side effects, emphasizing the sustained well-being of patients. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that HDR IRT for NV carcinoma not only provides effective local control but leads to significant and sustained QoL improvements over a 12-month period. This supports the role of IRT as a valuable therapeutic option that minimizes functional and aesthetic complications while ensuring high patient satisfaction. The consistent QoL enhancement observed underscores the importance of SNOT-22 as a robust tool for monitoring patient-reported outcomes. Future multicenter studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up durations are warranted to validate these preliminary results and explore additional PRO metrics. References: 1 Patel, Piyush, et al. "Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule." The Journal of Laryngology & Otology 106.4 (1992): 332-336. 2 Tagliaferri, Luca, et al. "Interventional radiotherapy as exclusive treatment for primary nasal vestibule cancer: single-institution experience." Journal of contemporary brachytherapy 12.5 (2020): 413-419. 3 Hopkins, C1, et al. "Psychometric validity of the 22 ‐ item Sinonasal Outcome Test." Clinical otolaryngology 34.5 (2009): 447-454. Keywords: Nasal Vestibule, brachytherapy, quality of life