title: How long should we continue S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck?
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that patients with SCCHN should be recommended to take S-1 for more than 1 year and, if possible, more than 2 years, as adjuvant chemotherapy for SCCHN.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  There is no established consensus on the duration of administration of S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Since it might be difficult to undergo prospective randomized study to identify the optimal duration of the administration period of S-1 without a standard, the authors have undergone a retrospective clinical study to decide the tentative standard of therapeutic duration of S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy for SCCHN.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical records of 89 patients with SCCHN who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median duration of S-1 administration as adjuvant chemotherapy for SCCHN was 7 months (range = 0.1-58 months). Disease-free survivals (DFSs) were generally longer when S-1 administration periods were longer. After adjusting for prognostic factors, S-1 administration periods of 24 months or longer showed significantly lower hazard ratios (HRs) than 0-12 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital , Okayama , Japan.
authors.forename: Misato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Yorihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Orita
authors.forename: Soshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: Tomoyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marunaka
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makihara
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noyama
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuji
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torigoe
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishizaki
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D004338:Drug Combinations; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D010094:Oxonic Acid
keywords: S-1; adjuvant chemotherapy; duration of administration; head and neck; squamous cell carcinoma