Abstract
A questionnaire survey on radiotherapy for oral cancer at 29 oral and maxillofacial radiology departments in Japan was performed. In 11 departments, 35 oral and maxillofacial radiologists worked at radiotherapy. Of the patients, 285 were treated by external radiotherapy and 158 by brachytherapy. In both treatments tongue cancer was the most frequent. The total of 443 patients was estimated to be about 9% of all oral cancer patients in Japan, and the 158 patients treated by brachytherapy to be about one half of all head and neck cancer patients treated by brachytherapy in Japan. In recent years, the incidence of cancer has been increasing and more frequent use of radiotherapy is encouraged. Radiotherapy for oral cancer is expected to play an increasingly important role.
