title: In squamous cell head and neck cancer: which platinum, how much and how often?
abstract: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Patients who present with locally advanced disease are usually treated with a combined modality approach, often including chemotherapy, and frequently using the platinum agents cisplatin or carboplatin. In locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, carboplatin and cisplatin have both been found to produce a survival benefit when added to radiation therapy. Although it appears that cisplatin may be more active, carboplatin is better tolerated. Cisplatin has been given concurrently with radiation every 3 weeks, weekly or daily. There have been no prospective trials comparing the different cisplatin dose schedules, but a dose of 100 mg/m(2) administered every 3 weeks on days 1, 22 and 43 with concurrent standard fractionation radiation therapy is the most widely used and tested regimen. The required total dose of cisplatin is also not known, although a necessary dose threshold of 200 mg/m(2) has been suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Solid Tumor Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue/ R35, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Tobenna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nwizu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Adelstein
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: carboplatin; cisplatin; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; nasopharyngeal carcinoma