Radiation therapy (with associated chemotherapy) is the standard treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Conformal intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a new and particularly interesting technique for these tumors, due to their complex volumes close to many critical organs. Better dosimetric results and improved protection of adjacent healthy tissue have been shown compared with conventional 2D or 3D radiation therapy, with significantly reduced side-effects, notably xerostomia. Excellent local control rates have been reported.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of vinorelbine as a single agent in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Patients were treated with oral or intravenous vinorelbine according to the pluridisciplinary tumor board's decision. Efficacy and safety outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-three patients were included in the study. Sixteen patients (69%) had received at least two previous lines of chemotherapy. The disease control rate was 19%. The median progression-free survival was 2.6 months and the median overall survival was 3.4 months. The rate of grade 3-4 side effects was low (13%). Only one patient discontinued treatment because of side effects. Vinorelbine seems to be a well-tolerated regimen in heavily pretreated patients. However, this regimen does not seem to be efficient enough to be recommended.

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