Abstract
Brachytherapy has become the standard method of treatment for cancer of the tongue. However, indication of the brachytherapy is limited by the size and site of the tumor. In an effort to improve tumor control and preserve the function of the tongue after surgery, we administered preoperative brachytherapy to four patients with advanced cancer of the tongue (two females aged 35 and 75 and two males aged 51 and 55 years) . We performed the brachytherapy to debulk the tumor at the center of the tongue, and restricted surgical resection of the primary focus to hemiglossectomy. The postoperative tongue function was good in all cases. Follow-up ranges from 1.8 to 7.6 years. All four patients are still alive, and the cancers have not recurred.
