A new concurrent chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin C in combination with radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

• Published in: Onkologie Vol. 28; no. 10; p. 491
• Main Authors: Wilkowski, Ralf, Pachmann, Sophia, Schymura, Beatrice, Dellian, Marc, Schalhorn, Andreas, Dühmke, Eckhart
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01.10.2005
• Subjects: Aged; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - radiotherapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - secondary; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant - methods; Head and Neck Neoplasms - drug therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms - mortality; Head and Neck Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Mitomycin - administration & dosage; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Factors; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome; Vinblastine - administration & dosage; Vinblastine - analogs & derivatives
• ISSN: 0378-584X
• DOI: 10.1159/000087087

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of concurrent chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin C in combination with accelerated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced cancer of the head and neck. Between January 2003 and March 2004, 15 patients with T4/N2-3 squamous cell carcinoma (12/15) and with N3 cervical lymph node metastases of carcinoma of unknown primary (3/15) were treated with chemotherapy and simultaneous accelerated RT. 11 patients completed therapy without interruption or dose reduction. Grade 3-4 acute mucosal toxicity was observed in 9/15 patients, grade 4 hematologic toxicity in 6/15 patients. At a median follow-up of 7.5 months, 2 patients have died of intercurrent disease, 2 patients have experienced local relapse; 5 patients are alive with no evidence of disease at the primary tumor site. The described regimen is highly effective, but led to remarkable side effects.