Adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III and IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Initial combination drug regimen containing cisplatin in patients with stage III and IV head and neck cancer produced a high percentage of clinical response. This trial was initiated to assess the role of multimodality treatment (chemotherapy plus radiotherapy) versus chemotherapy alone. Ninety-six patients entered into this study; 80 patients were evaluable at time of analysis (Table I). Patients were randomized between chemotherapy and radiotherapy (group I) and chemotherapy alone (group II). The chemotherapy administered consisted of cisplatin, bleomycin and methotrexate and was given in 2 cycles over 35 days. Local radiotherapy followed. In group II 3 cycles of chemotherapy were given without radiotherapy. The overall tumour response after chemotherapy rose up to 75 per cent. After radiotherapy in group II the response rate sank to 59 per cent. In both regimes the remission duration was very short. Patients receiving only two cycles of chemotherapy do not have a statistically shorter survival than patients, who were treated by chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, or by a 3rd cycle of chemotherapy.
Klima
A
A
HNO-Universitätsklinik, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Klippstein
T
T
Bergmann
L
L
Szepesi
S
S
Ilberg
C V
CV
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation
D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate