title: Chemoradiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer - Analysis of a prospective, randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised, prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary academic referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty patients of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  PATIENTS were randomized into two arms. The study arm (CT-RT arm) received 3 cycles of anterior chemotherapy with Inj. Cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on D(1) and Inj 5F.U. 700 mg/m(2) on D(1)-D(4) at an interval of 21 days, followed by external radiation. The control arm (RT arm) received external radiotherapy only. The dose of Radiotherapy was 64 to 68 Gy in conventional fractionation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PATIENTS of CT-RT showed better tumour control locally than patients who received only RT. Toxicities were commoner in CT-RT arm but they were manageable. 5 year survival is higher in the CT-RT arm (21% vs 16%; p value> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior chemotherapy with Cisplatin and 5F.U. is associated with good clinical response which is translated into increased survival along with acceptable toxicities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, N.R.S. Medical College, Kolkata.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Deb
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sur
keywords: Cisplatin and 5F.U.; Head & Neck Cancer; Neo-adjuvant Chemotherapy