title: Chemo-radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer--long-term results of a phase II trial.
abstract: The feasibility and effectiveness of a combined chemo-radiotherapy treatment modality for locally advanced head and neck cancer was tested in a phase II trial. Between 1990 and 1993, 74 patients (20 female/54 male) with head and neck cancer stage III (n = 12) and IV (n = 62) were treated with accelerated radiotherapy (72 Gy) and simultaneous chemotherapy (5-FU, folinic acid, mitomycin C). The median follow-up time was 43 months (1-72). Complete remission (CR) was absent in 76% (56/74) of patients and, after subsequent resection of residual lymph nodes, another 8 patients achieved CR. The cumulative local control rate was 72% and disease-specific survival rate was 59% at 4 years. Two patients died with treatment-related conditions (pancytopenia, larynx oedema). By multivariate analysis, only lymph node status was an independent parameter for local control (P = 0.04). This treatment was feasible and toxicity was not a treatment-limiting factor. As a consequence, a German multicentre phase III trial was initiated in 1995.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Charité Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dinges
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Budach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stuschke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Budach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boehmer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jahnke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D016685:Mitomycin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil