Curative and organ-preserving treatment with intra-arterial carboplatin induction followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer: single-center five-year results.
BACKGROUND
This study evaluated the feasibility, toxicity, response rate and survival of neoadjuvant superselective intra-arterial infusion of high dose carboplatin in advanced head and neck cancer.


METHODS
Forty-six patients with primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma received 3 cycles of intra-arterial carboplatin (300 to 350 mg/m2 per cycle every 2 weeks), followed by radiotherapy or surgery plus radiotherapy.


RESULTS
No complications or severe toxicity occurred. Sixteen patients (35%) were complete responders, 20 (43%) partial responders while 10 (22%) did not respond to treatment. After completion of the multimodality treatment, 38/46 patients (83%) were complete responders. After a 5-year follow-up period, 18/46 patients (39%) are alive and disease-free, 3 (6,5%) have died of a second primary tumor and 25 (54.5%) have died of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Intra-arterial carboplatin induction chemotherapy is a safe, well-tolerated technique that discriminates between responders and non-responders and so may have prognostic significance in planning further integrated treatments aimed to organ preservation for advanced head and neck carcinomas.
Bertino
Giulia
G
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pavia--IRCCS Policlinico S Matteo, Pavia, Italy. giulia.bertino@tin.it
Benazzo
Marco
M
Gatti
Patrizia
P
Bernardo
Gianni
G
Corbella
Franco
F
Tinelli
Carmine
C
Zappoli
Federico
F
Mira
Eugenio
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin