title: Concurrent weekly docetaxel and hyperfractionated radiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the concomitant use of weekly docetaxel and hyperfractionated radiotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with advanced squamous cell HNC were treated with hyperfractionated radiotherapy (72 Gy at 1.2 Gy twice per day) and weekly chemotherapy with docetaxel (10 mg/m2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Toxicity was significant, with grade 2 to 4 mucositis observed in 100% and lymphopenia in 84%. Seventeen patients (68%) received the full chemotherapy regimen as planned. The initial overall response rate was 88.0%, while the complete response rate was 68.0%. At a median follow-up period of 10 months, the 2-year Kaplan-Meier projected overall survival was 47.3%, and the cause-specific survival was 81.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that hyperfractionated radiotherapy with weekly docetaxel achieved better initial response than conventional radiotherapy. In addition, the acute toxicity of this regimen was within the acceptable limits of severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-rhino-laryngology, Juntendo University school of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan. fmatsu@med.juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haruyama
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Katsuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000077143:Docetaxel; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel