title: [Chemotherapy of head and neck cancer].
abstract: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is a chemotherapeutically responsive tumor. Methotrexate, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin in various combinations have achieved tumor regression, with complete or partial response, in 60-90% of previously untreated patients. The response to chemotherapy, however, is often short-lived, and conventional treatment has produced little impact on survival. To date, neo-adjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy have also failed to demonstrate any impact on the survival rate, although subset analysis has indicated a possible survival benefit. Furthermore, larynx preservation and reduction in incidence of metastasis have been demonstrated. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy has some positive results in disease free survival and/or overall survival. In this report, we reviewed the literature on neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, salvage chemotherapy and concomitant chemoradiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer, and analyzed their efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishiya
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate