Onkológia 2/2006

STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY IN TREATMENT OF HEAD AND NECK CARCINOMA

Stereotactic radiosurgery uses a computer-controlled radiation therapy for precise orientation of the irradiating rays directly into a pathological lesion. It is a non-invasive method that uses the stereotactic apparatus for ensuring that the target structures are in the same position during the examination and irradiation. By means of the planning system and linear accelerator (lINAc) the high irradiation doses are spread into the targets identified in advance. This method guarantees that the surrounding healthy structures are affected only by minimal doses of irradiation. Stereotactic radiosurgery is convenient for the treatment of brain and hypophysis tumours, brain metastases, tumours of eye, maxillofacial area, skull base, glomus jugulare and neck tumours up to the region of c 2 – 3. It is the method of choice in the tumours localised in the deep brain structures that are inaccessible for classical neurosurgery.

Keywords: Stereotactic radiosurgery, cerebral tumours, head and neck tumours, indication, postoperative care.