Concurrent chemoradiation for unresectable advanced head and neck cancer

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy were performed for 18 patients with unresectable head and neck squamous cell cancer. Chemotherapy, consisting of CDDP (40 mg/m2, Day 1 and 8) and 5-FU (200 mg/m2, 24-h continuous infusion through Day 1-5 and 8-12), with concurrent radiotherapy (2 Gy/day, 5 days/w) were administered and repeated 2-3 courses in every 5 weeks. Mucositis and myelo-suppression were the main side effects observed, but all of them were tolerable. Total response rate and complete response rate was 94.4% and 55.6%, respectively. Out of six patients requiring tracheotomy for airway obstruction due to bulky tumor, four achieved sufficient tumor shrinkage by the treatment and could obtain closure of the stoma. Two patients whose neck lymph nodes were still remaining after chemoradiotherapy, could obtain local control by supplemental neck dissection surgery. These regimen is feasible and effective for locally advanced head and neck cancer. (author)