TY - JOUR
TI - Paclitaxel, cisplatin, leucovorin, and continuous infusion fluorouracil
followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced squamous
cell carcinoma of the head and neck - A Hellenic cooperative oncology
group phase II study
AU - Fountzilas, G
AU - Tolis, C
AU - Kalogera-Fountzila, A
AU - Misailidou, D
AU - and Tsekeris, P
AU - Karina, M
AU - Nikolaou, A
AU - Samantas, E and
AU - Makatsoris, T
AU - Athanassiou, E
AU - Skarlos, D
AU - Bamias, A and
AU - Zamboglou, N
AU - Economopoulos, T
AU - Karanastassi, S
AU - Pavlidis, N
AU - and Daniilidis, J
JO - Medical Oncology
PY - 2005
VL - 22
TODO - 3
SP - 269-279
PB - Humana Press Inc.
SN - 1357-0560, 1559-131X
TODO - 10.1385/MO:22:3:269
TODO - paclitaxel; chemotherapy; head and neck cancer
TODO - The primary objective of this phase II study was to access the complete
response (CR) rate to a new innovative induction regimen in patients
with locally advanced head and neck cancer (LA-HNC). From October 2000
until October 2003 a total of 38 eligible patients (33 men and 5 women)
entered the study. The large majority of them presented with a
performance status of 0-1 and with clinical stage IV disease. Treatment
consisted of three cycles of induction chemotherapy (IC) with paclitaxel
175 mg/m(2) in a 3-h infusion on d 1, leucovorin (LV) 200 mg/m(2) over
20 min immediately followed by FU 400 mg/m(2) bolus and then 600 mg/m(2)
as a 24-h continuous infusion on d 1 and 2 and a cisplatin 75 mg/m(2)
over 1-h infusion on d 2 every 3 wk. This was then followed by radiation
(70 Gy) and weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m(2). After the completion of IC,
6/38 (16%) patients had CR. The CR rate was increased to 66%
post-concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Neutropenia (37.5%), pain
(62%), nausea/vomiting (21%), and alopecia (79%) were the most
frequent side effects during IC. The most pronounced toxicities during
chemoradiotherapy were stomatitis (62.5%) and xerostomia (53%). Median
time to progression was 11.0 mo and median survival 16.7 mo. One- and
2-yr survival rates were 73% and 38%, respectively. In conclusion,
this novel induction regimen is active, is well tolerated, and can be
successfully followed by CCRT with weekly cisplatin. CCRT should remain
standard treatment for patients with LA-HNC. Novel induction
combinations, such as that reported in the present study, should be
evaluated in combination with CCRT only in the context of clinical
trials.
ER -