title: Immunomodulated anterior chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced tongue cancer: An Institutional experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sequential induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF) along with interferon-alpha2b and concurrent chemoradiation offers superior loco-regional control for locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was designed to evaluate the beneficial role of induction PF chemotherapy and interferon-alpha2b followed by chemoradiation over definitive chemoradiation only for patients with locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phase II randomized, prospective, open-labeled, single-institutional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients were randomized into 2 arms. Arm A patients were treated with induction chemotherapy with PF regimen for 3 cycles and interferon alpha 2b, 3MU biweekly for 6 such followed by chemoradiation with cisplatin 30 mg/ m(2)/ week and external radiotherapy. Arm B patients received chemoradiation only, in the same dose schedule as in Arm A.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chi-square test was done to find out the statistical correlation between the two arms. For plotting the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for the two arms, Kaplan-Meier method was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The loco-regional response rate of patients treated with interferon containing induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation was superior to concurrent chemoradiation only. However the toxicities and treatment interruption were more in patients treated with induction chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In locally advanced carcinoma of oral tongue, induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF) along with interferon alpha 2b followed by concurrent chemoradiation may produce superior loco-regional control with manageable toxicities that needs to be validated by more randomized trials with adequate number of patients.
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Bappaditya
authors: B
authors: Chhatui
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Devleena
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Sanjoy
authors: S
authors: Roy
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Tapas
authors: T
authors: Maji
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Debarshi
authors: D
authors: Lahiri
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Jaydip
authors: J
authors: Biswas
keywords: Chemoradiation; immunotherapy; tongue cancer