BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy and concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C infusion in inoperable head and neck cancer. METHODS: Seventy-six patients (86% men, 14% women), mean age 57 years, with primary inoperable head and neck cancer were treated with 70 Gy plus simultaneous intravenous chemotherapy with 5-FU (600 mg/m(2)/d, days 1 to 5) and mitomycin-C (10 mg/m(2), day 5 plus 36). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 13 months, 31 patients were alive. Complete response (CR) was seen in 63%. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 67.7% and 39.5%, and locoregional control rates were 51.7% and 35.6%. Pretreatment hemoglobin <13.9 g/dL was associated with lower locoregional control rates (p = .03). Therapy was well tolerated (grade 3 mucositis in 21%, grade 4 in 1%, grade 3 leukopenia in 11%). CONCLUSIONS: Our radiochemotherapy regimen offers a curative option for this group of patients with a poor prognosis. Hemoglobin levels before therapy have an influence on prognosis. (c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy and concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C infusion in inoperable head and neck cancer. METHODS: Seventy-six patients (86% men, 14% women), mean age 57 years, with primary inoperable head and neck cancer were treated with 70 Gy plus simultaneous intravenous chemotherapy with 5-FU (600 mg/m(2)/d, days 1 to 5) and mitomycin-C (10 mg/m(2), day 5 plus 36). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 13 months, 31 patients were alive. Complete response (CR) was seen in 63%. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 67.7% and 39.5%, and locoregional control rates were 51.7% and 35.6%. Pretreatment hemoglobin <13.9 g/dL was associated with lower locoregional control rates (p = .03). Therapy was well tolerated (grade 3 mucositis in 21%, grade 4 in 1%, grade 3 leukopenia in 11%). CONCLUSIONS: Our radiochemotherapy regimen offers a curative option for this group of patients with a poor prognosis. Hemoglobin levels before therapy have an influence on prognosis. (c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Authors: Hans Christiansen; Robert M Hermann; Andrea Hille; Heinz Schmidberger; Alexios Martin; Mirko Nitsche; Clemens F Hess; Olivier Pradier Journal: J Cancer Res Clin Oncol Date: 2005-11-15 Impact factor: 4.553
Authors: Hendrik Andreas Wolff; Jochen Gaedcke; Klaus Jung; Robert Michael Hermann; Hilka Rothe; Markus Schirmer; Torsten Liersch; Markus Karl Alfred Herrmann; Steffen Hennies; Margret Rave-Fränk; Clemens Friedrich Hess; Hans Christiansen Journal: Strahlenther Onkol Date: 2009-12-28 Impact factor: 3.621