Induction chemotherapy (ICh) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (ChR) in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN): Experience in a Mexican institute.

Abstract

e17031 Background: ICh has taken an important role in the treatment of locally advanced disease, but it has not been recognized in which patients (pts) may be the best option ICh followed by ChR or just ChR. We present our experience with ICh followed by ChR regimen in the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (INCan). Methods: We identified 69 patients (pts) diagnosed with locally and/or regionally advanced non-metastatic squamous cell cancer of head and neck, who were attended at the INCan from 2008-2012, in whom, the original treatment was ICh with two cycles of Paclitaxel (P), cisplatin (C) and 5Fluorouracil (5FU) scheme, followed by concurrent ChR with C. But only 35 pts of the original group accomplished the treatment. Results: 13 pts were women (37%) and 22 were men (63%).The median age at diagnosis was 59 years old. In stages III (28%), IVa (46%), and IVb (26%); AJCC, 2002. The subsites per pts. studied were: oral cavity 9 (25.7%), larynx 9 (25.7%), hypopharynx 7 (20%), paranasal sinuses 7 (20%) and oropharynx 3 (8.6%). The rate response was observed in 83%: complete objective rate response (CR) in13 pts (37%), partial response rate in 16 pts (46%) and progression rate in 6 pts. (17%). The mean survival was of 18.3 months (mth) (CI-95: 0.32-0.68).Median survival was not achieved in pts with CR with a median follow up of 2 yrs, pts with PR had a median survival of 15 mth (CI-95: 0.27-0.75) and the median progression was 11 mth (CI-95: 0.11-0.80). We have not got any CR with ICh only, but 13 patients obtained CR at the end of the ChR. Neither age, sex nor subsites were crucial to the clinical response. Conclusions: Our results cannot distinguish patients who might benefit from ICH. In the intention-to-treat population, more than a half of pts did not complete the proposed scheme. Recently, we reported a study using an alternative scheme: Cisplatin and gemcitabine concurrent with radiotherapy to treat pts with advanced SCCHN, and we found that this scheme of treatment is effective and well tolerated, with a 5 yr progression-free survival rate of 27.8 (CI-95: 0–61.5). Yet further studies are needed to compare ICh followed by RCh vs RCh to assess what the best treatment may be.