Brachytherapy for Nose Vestibule Malignancies: Functional Results

Nasal cavity is part of the respiratory system with multiple delicate functions, which can be compromised by different pathological conditions and also as a result of treatments. Surgical treatment of nose vestibule (NV) carcinomas deeply impacts cosmesis and consequently the social dimension of the quality of life; on the other hand, irradiation notoriously causes toxicities affecting nose function, with crusting, atrophia, dysosmia, recurrent infections, and sinusitis. In this chapter, we report evidences demonstrating that such toxicities, which can be severe in case of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), are absent when NV carcinomas are treated by HDR IRT.