[Comparison of concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy with radiotherapy alone in advanced cancers of the head and neck: results of a randomized trial].

Abstract

From April 1987 to October 1992, 67 patients with inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region were included in a randomized trial. All patients had induction chemotherapy with cisplatin (100 mg/m2, D1) and fluorouracil (1 g/m2, from D1 to D5) every three weeks for a total of three cycles. Patients were randomized to concurrent external radiation therapy (70 Gy/39 fractions/8 weeks) and chemotherapy with cisplatin (50 mg/m2 in short infusion, D1, D15, D29, D43) and fluorouracil (5 mg/kg, intra-muscular, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) (experimental group) versus radiotherapy alone with the same modalities (control group). The followup for living patients was 14 to 60 months with a median of 42 months. Analysis of preliminary results has shown that: 1) early and late side effects are similar in both groups; 2) after completion of treatment, the percentage of patients in complete remission was 71% (20/28) in the experimental group and 43% (12/28) in the control group; this difference was statistically significant among non responders to induction chemotherapy (1/15 versus 13/20, P = 0.001), but non significant among responders (11/13 versus 7/8) and 3) there were no differences between both randomized groups in term of 3-year overall survival and of 3-year loco-regional control. Results are discussed taking into account a review of literature.