title: Radiation therapy and concurrent cisplatin administration in locally advanced head and neck cancer. A Hellenic Co-operative Oncology Group study.
abstract: In an attempt to improve local control of locally advanced head and neck cancer, radiation therapy was combined with cisplatin. Forty-eight patients entered into this study. All patients were irradiated with a 60Co unit and according to the protocol they should receive 70 Gy in the tumor area and 45 Gy in the rest of neck. Cisplatin was administered at a dose of 100 mg/m2 on days 2, 22 and 42. Thirty-seven (80%) patients received the total radiation dose as initially planned. Thirty-four (72%) patients achieved complete and 5 (10%) partial response. Grade 3-4 toxicities included vomiting (14%), stomatitis (4%), diarrhea (2%), myelotoxicity (14%), hoarseness (4%), dysphagia (30%), weight loss (32%), nephrotoxicity (4%) and dermatitis (2%). After a median follow-up of 26 (range, 18-33) months, 16 patients have died. Among the 35 complete responders 6 later on relapsed. Median relapse-free survival has not yet been reached. Combined radiation therapy and cisplatin appears to be a highly active treatment in patients with advanced head and neck cancer as far as primary locoregional response is concerned.
authors.affiliation: AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fountzilas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skarlos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosmidis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samantas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalogera-Fountzila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papaspyrou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tzitzikas
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sridhar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makrantonakis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pantelakos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin