title: A randomised clinical trial to contrast radiotherapy with radiotherapy and methotrexate given synchronously in head and neck cancer.
abstract: Three hundred and thirteen patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck were entered in a randomised clinical trial to determine whether the addition of methotrexate during the course of irradiation improved the rate of primary control and subsequent survival. The overall primary control (P = 0.016) and survival (P = 0.075) for the patients receiving methotrexate was better than the patients treated by radiotherapy alone. The improvement in primary control (P = 0.0019) and survival (P = 0.0089) in patients with oropharyngeal cancers who had methotrexate in addition to radiotherapy is statistically significant. The treatment was well tolerated and there has been no increase of late morbidity.
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008727:Methotrexate