Concomitant chemoradiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

The concurrent chemoradiotherapy appears in the last years as an alternative management to the standart treatment of the advanced head and neck cancer. We planned in the ENT Department of the Carlos Van Buren Hospital, Valparaiso (Chile), in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, a study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy, 2 Gy for 5 days every week for a total dose of 66-70 Gy, and Cisplatin, 100 mgr/m2 every 21 days for 3 doses (on days 1, 21 and 42). 30 patients were entered in the study. 28 were evaluable for response: 25 men and 3 women. The median age was 64 years. 8 had stage III and 20 had stage IV disease. 8 had primary tumor in the larynx, 12 in the hypopharynx, 4 in the oropharynx, 3 in oral cavity and 1 in the nose. Clinical objective response to the combined regimen was Complete Response in 18 patients (64%), Partial Response in 9 patients (32%) and Stable Disease in 1 patient (4%). The overall estimated 2 year survival was 64,3%. Renal and hematological toxicity were the most common side effects.