Induction Chemotherapy with Docetaxel and Cisplatin Followed by Concomitant Chemoradiotherapy in Patients with Inoperable Non-nasopharyngeal Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Background: Induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has the potential of being an ideal multi-modality approach for improving the prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SSCHN). Patients and Methods: Thirty-four patients with loca...
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Published in | Anticancer research Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 529 - 538 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Attiki
International Institute of Anticancer Research
01.02.2009
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background: Induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has the potential of being an ideal
multi-modality approach for improving the prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SSCHN).
Patients and Methods: Thirty-four patients with locally advanced SCCHN were treated with 3 cycles of IC, consisting of docetaxel
75 mg/m 2 and cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks, followed 3-4 weeks later by definitive radiotherapy (70 Gy) and concomitant weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m 2 . Results: After a median follow-up of 27.7 months, 6-month progression-free survival (PFS), the primary study end-point,
was 84% . The median PFS was 16.4 months and median overall survival 24.4 months. The majority of the patients completed 3
cycles of IC with mild to moderate toxicity. Anemia, nausea/vomiting and mucositis were the prominent toxicities during CCRT.
Retrospective analysis of a panel of biomarkers suggested that excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) protein
expression was associated with shorter PFS. Conclusion: IC followed by CCRT, as administered in the present study, is a feasible
and well-tolerated therapeutic approach. However, its real impact on the prognosis of SCCHN patients has to be demonstrated
in a randomized study comparing this treatment to CCRT alone. |
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ISSN: | 0250-7005 1791-7530 |