Treatment Outcome of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy In Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

The present study was planned to compare the efficacy and toxicity of two different concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimes – three weekly cisplatin and weekly cisplatin along with standard external beam radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer. This study included 40 patients with locally advanced HNSCC treated with radiotherapy and concurrent cisplatin chemoradiotherapy. They were treated in Clinical Oncology Department, Zagazig University Hospital between March 2010 and February 2012.• Patients were randomized into two treatment groups :Group A:During the course of radiotherapy, cisplatin was administered three times at a dose of 100mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The cisplatin was given at 1 to 2 hours before receiving radiotherapy with standard pre- and post-treatment hydration and antiemetic treatment. External beam radiotherapy was delivered using Linear accelerator with 3D CRT technology. Patients were treated to a total dose 70 Gy in 2 Gy daily fractions, 5 days per week for 7 weeks. Two lateral faciocervical fields were used to treat the primary lesion and the upper neck nodes with exclusion of the spinal cord after 44 Gy. A single anterior lower neck field was used to treat the lower neck nods to a dose of 50 Gy. Clinically positive neck nodes received a dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions in 7 weeks.Group B:Radiation therapy technique was as the same as for arm A. During the course of radiotherapy, cisplatin was administered weekly at a dose of 30 mg/m2. The chemotherapy was given at 1-2 hours before receiving radiotherapy with standard pre- and post-treatment hydration and antiemetic treatment.The patients were well balanced between both treatment groups. The age ranged between 18-70 years with a median age of 55 years for group A while in group B the age ranged between 33-70 years with a median age of 57. The male to.