Acute Toxicity and Preliminary Clinical Outcomes of Concurrent Radiation Therapy and Weekly Docetaxel and Daily Cisplatin for Head and Neck Cancer

• Published in: Japanese journal of clinical oncology Vol. 35; no. 11; pp. 639 - 644
• Main Authors: Kitamoto, Yoshizumi, Akimoto, Tetsuo, Ishikawa, Hitoshi, Nonaka, Tetsuo, Katoh, Hiroyuki, Nakano, Takashi, Ninomiya, Hiroshi, Chikamatsu, Kazuaki, Furuya, Nobuhiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.11.2005; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Acute Disease; acute toxicity; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; chemotherapy; cisplatin; Cisplatin - administration & dosage; Cisplatin - adverse effects; Combined Modality Therapy; docetaxel; Dose Fractionation; Drug Administration Schedule; Feasibility Studies; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - drug therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mucositis - chemically induced; radiation therapy; Radiotherapy, Conformal; Taxoids - administration & dosage; Taxoids - adverse effects; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0368-2811; 1465-3621
• DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyi175

Objective: To examine the feasibility and efficacy of concurrent weekly docetaxel and radiation therapy as a definitive treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods: Thirty-two patients with primary HNC, who were treated with concurrent weekly docetaxel and radiation therapy, were analysed. The distribution of the disease stage was as follows: Stage II, 18 patients; Stage III, 3 patients; Stage IVA, 7 patients; Stage IVB, 3 patients; the patient of cervical lymph node metastasis with unknown primary tumor was not assessable. The average total dose of radiotherapy was 67.5 Gy. Docetaxel (10 mg/m2, intravenously, once a week) was given to all patients up to four cycles, and cisplatin (6 mg/m2, intravenously, five times a week) was also administered to all patients for up to 3 weeks from the beginning of the radiation therapy. Results: Only in two patients did the radiotherapy need to be temporarily interrupted due to the development of acute mucositis. Grade 3 toxicity was observed in six patients. Grade 4 acute mucositis was seen in one patient. The response rate was 100%, and complete response (CR) was observed in 30 patients (94%). At the time of the analysis, the 2 year local control and relapse-free rates in the 30 patients showing CR were 90 and 76%, respectively. Conclusions: Concurrent weekly docetaxel and radiation therapy did not affect the compliance of the patients for the radiation therapy, indicating that the acute toxicities were within acceptable limits.