title: [Concomitant treatment with gemcitabine and radiotherapy in patients with advanced stages of epidermoid carcinoma originating in the head and neck. A phase II sutdy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgery, radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone (RTA) constitute conventional treatment regimes for advanced stages of squamous cell carcinoma originating in the head and neck mucosa. Nevertheless, the results in advanced regional carcinoma (ARC) are disappointing. The chemotherapy-radiotherapy (CHT-RT) association has shown to be superior to RTA in irresectable disease and in resectable disease it could substitute initial surgery as a rescue alternative.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective is to report the response rate and toxicity of concurrent treatment with Gemcitabine and Radiotherapy (GRT) in patients with ARC. In a prospective design, patients with ARC received concurrent GRT; the global, complete and partial response rate as well as toxicity were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 patients were included, 5 women and 10 men, 73% in stage IVa; 13/15 showed a global response (87%), a complete response was observed in 9 cases (60%) (RC) and 2 showed progress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients included showed toxicity, the most frequent one was level 4 mucositis in 46%, of this 40% required nutritional support by catheter or gastrostomy. One patient in RC died due to sepsis. None of them suspended treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GRT association offers a complete response rate of 60%; nevertheless morbidity was not insignificant; randomized studies with a larger number of patients will be required to allow us to outline the optimal therapeutic scheme.
authors.affiliation: Departamentos de Oncología Médica, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico D. F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Flor de Thé
authors.initials: Fde T
authors.lastname: Bustamante-Valles
authors.forename: Angel Luis
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Calva-Espinosa
authors.forename: José Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gallegos-Hernández
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Villalobos-Valencia
authors.forename: Ana Lilia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Castruita
authors.forename: Juan Alejandro
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Rutilio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flores-Díaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine