Concurrent chemoradiation with carboplatin-5-fluorouracil versus cisplatin in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers: is more always better?
OBJECTIVE
The optimal chemotherapy regimen remains undefined in the treatment of locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer by concomitant chemoradiation. This article compares two platinum-based chemotherapy regimens.


METHODS
In this retrospective study, we reviewed all consecutive patients treated for Stage III or IVA-B oropharyngeal cancer using either a combination of carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) every 3 weeks or high-dose cisplatin every 3 weeks concomitant with definitive radiation therapy.


RESULTS
A total of 200 patients were treated with carboplatin-5FU and 53 patients with cisplatin. Median potential follow-up was 43 months. The 3-year overall survival rates for carboplatin-5FU and cisplatin respectively were 79.1% and 74.9% (p = 0.628), the 3-year disease-free survival rates were 76.0% and 71.3% (p = 0.799), and the 3-year locoregional control rates were 88.4% and 94.2% (p = 0.244).


CONCLUSIONS
We could not demonstrate differences between these two regimens, which both proved efficacious. Polychemotherapy and monochemotherapy therefore seem comparable in this retrospective analysis.
Barkati
Maroie
M
Department of Radiation Oncology, Université de Montréal-CHUM, Montreal, PQ, Canada. maroiebarkati@yahoo.ca
Fortin
Bernard
B
Soulières
Denis
D
Clavel
Sébastien
S
Després
Phillipe
P
Charpentier
Danielle
D
Tabet
Jean-Claude
JC
Guertin
Louis
L
Olivier
Marie-Jo
MJ
Coulombe
Geneviève
G
Donath
David
D
Nguyen-Tan
Phuc Felix
PF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / 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; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil