title: Combination chemotherapy used prior to radiation therapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: Thirty-three patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were scheduled to receive two courses of chemotherapy prior to radical radiotherapy. Chemotherapy consisted of moderate-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, bleomycin by infusion, and cisplatin. Loss of body weight and the duration of membrane formation at a specified region of the oral cavity during radiation therapy were used as indices of radiation toxicity: there was no excessive loss of body weight or mucosal reaction in patients who received combined treatment compared to patients in a nonrandomized control group who received radiotherapy alone. Twenty patients (60%) had a greater than or equal to 50% decrease of measurable disease prior to starting irradiation, but only eight patients (24%) are alive and disease-free at a median followup of 16 months. Aggressive chemotherapy does not prevent delivery of subsequent full-dose radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, but this study does not suggest that chemotherapy has a great beneficial effect on long-term survival.
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D008727:Methotrexate