Cisplatin sensitization to radiotherapy in stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A follow-up report.

Thirty-six patients with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with cisplatin (15 mg/m2), administered synchronously with high-dose radiation therapy. Of the original 36 patients, 26 are dead of disease. Although previous reports of an 88% response to this regimen were noted, the disease-free intervals in this 36-patient group were short. The interval of time between treatment and death ranged from two to 27 months, with an average survival time of 10.7 months. It appears that although cisplatin potentiation to radiation therapy offers an encouraging clinical response initially, persistent clinical regression of disease is unlikely. Further studies of cisplatin sensitization of radiation therapy vs radiation therapy alone and chemotherapy alone need to be performed before this regimen can be considered strong enough to stand on its own merits.