A non-randomized, prospective ,single centre study consisting of 50 patients (25 each in the study arm and control arm) suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (stage II-IV) were taken up to study the efficacy and safety of six fractions per week against five fractions per week of conventional external beam radiation therapy. Both the arms received a total tumour dose of 66-70 Gy in 33-35 exposures by shrinking field technique by using telecobalt 60. The early treatment results

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... ere analysed as per WHO Miler's criteria. The study arm showed 80% complete clinical response of the primary site as compared to 52% in the control arm. Partial response of the primary was noted in 20% and 28% in the study arm and control arm respectively. Complete nodal response was seen clinically in 64% in the study arm as compared to 52% in the control am. Partial response was seen in 28% and 32% in the study arm and control arm respectively. The disease free survival and survival with disease were comparable in both the arms. Copy Right, IJAR, 2013,. All rights reserved. Introduction:-Loco-regional control is the biggest problem in the management of head and neck cancers. In spite of different multimodality approaches the result is still not encouraging. Many trials have been conducted on altered fractionation and chemoradiation in advanced head and neck cancers. Accelerated fractionation increase the local control by counteracting the accelerated tumour clonogen populationduring irradiation and uses a shortened overall treatment time. Large randomized trials showed altered fractionation schedules improve the loco-regional control rates. The state of the art regarding radiation dose fractionation has evolved from once daily treatment to hyperfractionation and accelerated fractionation. Accelerated fractionation shortens the overall treatment time and improves outcome by counteracting the hazard of accelerated tumour clonogen repopulation during radiation therapy. [1] Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated major improvements in loco-regional tumour control from altered fractionation, accelerated fractionation and hyperfractionation as compared with the conventional fractionation. [2] The study was undertaken in the midst of all these uncertainties, in an attempt to study the role of six fractions per week against the conventional five fractions per week in the management of head and neck cancers.