title: Concomitant radiotherapy and daily low-dose carboplatin in locally advanced, unresectable head and neck cancer. Definitive results of a phase I-II study.
abstract: The combination of daily low-dose carboplatin and radiotherapy was studied in 55 patients with inoperable head and neck cancer. All patients were planned to receive 70 Gy plus carboplatin i.v. daily, 45-60 min before radiotherapy. A starting schedule of 30 mg/m2 on days 1 through 5, weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7 was administered to 17 patients; an escalating daily dose, up to 55 mg/m2, was given to 38 additional patients. Up to a daily dose of 45 mg/m2, only 4.4% of the patients developed grade 3 leukopenia; on the contrary, grade 3 and 4 leukopenia was seen in 62.5% of patients receiving 50 mg/m2 or more. Mucositis was the major nonhaematologic toxicity and seemed to be dose-dependent. At the end of the loco-regional treatment there were 33 (61.1%) CR and 17 PR; the most effective total carboplatin dose seemed to be 40-45 mg/m2. After surgical salvage the number of CRs increased to 37 (68.5%). One- and 2-year loco-regional control rates were 64% and 53% respectively. One- and 2-year actuarial survival rates were 71% and 53% respectively; the corresponding rates of disease-free survival were 60% and 43%. There was a strong correlation nodal status and both survival and disease-free survival.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Therapy Department, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orecchia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ragona
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Airoldi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gribaudo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grazia Ruo Redda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bussi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavalot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rampino
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sannazzari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D016190:Carboplatin