Fewer radiation doses could effectively treat head and neck cancer in countries like India: Study

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) A type of head and neck cancer, that accounts for 30 per cent of all cancer diagnoses in India, may be treated effectively with fewer but higher doses of radiation, a large new international study suggests.

The yet-to-be peer-reviewed research, presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in San Diego, US, is a phase III clinical trial involving 10 countries across four continent, including India.

It found that delivering a course of radiation in 20 rather than 33 treatment sessions was just as effective at controlling cancer for patients with alcohol and tobacco-related, locally advanced disease, without increasing side effects.