Concurrent chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To perform a retrospective review of laryngeal/hypopharyngeal carcinomas treated with concurrent chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).


METHODS
Between January 2002 and June 2005, 20 laryngeal and 11 hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients underwent IMRT with concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy; most patients had Stage IV disease. The prescription of the planning target volume for gross, high-risk, and low-risk subclinical disease was 70, 59.4, and 54 Gy, respectively. Acute/late toxicities were retrospectively scored using the Common Toxicity Criteria scale. The 2-year local progression-free, regional progression-free, laryngectomy-free, distant metastasis-free, and overall survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
The median follow-up of the living patients was 26 months (range, 17-58 months). The 2-year local progression-free, regional progression-free, laryngectomy-free, distant metastasis-free, and overall survival rate was 86%, 94%, 89%, 92%, and 63%, respectively. Grade 2 mucositis or higher occurred in 48% of patients, and all experienced Grade 2 or higher pharyngitis during treatment. Xerostomia continued to decrease over time from the end of RT, with none complaining of Grade 2 toxicity at this analysis. The 2-year post-treatment percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy-dependency rate for those with hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumors was 31% and 15%, respectively. The most severe late complications were laryngeal necrosis, necrotizing fascitis, and a carotid rupture resulting in death 3 weeks after salvage laryngectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results have shown that IMRT achieved encouraging locoregional control of locoregionally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. Xerostomia improved over time. Pharyngoesophageal stricture with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy dependency remains a problem, particularly for patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma and, to a lesser extent, those with laryngeal cancer. Strategies using IMRT to limit the dose delivered to the esophagus/inferior constrictor musculature without compromising target coverage might be useful to further minimize this late complication.
Lee
Nancy Y
NY
Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. leen2@mskcc.org
O'Meara
William
W
Chan
Kelvin
K
Della-Bianca
Cesar
C
Mechalakos
James G
JG
Zhung
Joanne
J
Wolden
Suzanne L
SL
Narayana
Ashwatha
A
Kraus
Dennis
D
Shah
Jatin P
JP
Pfister
David G
DG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D016190:Carboplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil