The long-term results after simultaneous chemoradiotherapy in 54 patients with previously untreated or minimally treated, locally confined (M0) squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck are presented. Multiple concurrent courses of radiation therapy and chemotherapy with cisplatin and a four-day 5-fluorouracil infusion were given. Twenty-eight patients underwent definitive surgery and 26 were treated without surgical resection. Treatment-associated toxicity was significant, including mucositis, myelosuppression, and a mean 12% loss of initial body weight. Of the 54 patients, 51 were ultimately rendered disease free by this combined modality protocol. With a follow-up ranging from 42-68 months, the projected Kaplan-Meier relapse-free survival for the entire patient cohort is 70%, with all relapses occurring within 17 months of patient entry. The projected Kaplan-Meier relapse-free survival for patients with Stage IV disease is 62%. The durability of these remissions suggests that there is a significant likelihood of cure in all patients with locally confined disease, and justifies comparative trials with standard treatment.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Adelstein et al. (1990) studied this question.