CONCLUSIONS: Superselective intra-arterial cisplatin infusion with concomitant radiotherapy (RADPLAT) is considered to be one of the treatments of choice for patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) who prefer not to undergo radical surgery.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of RADPLAT for patients with ACC of the head and neck.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:Between 2001 and 2010, 9 patients with untreated ACC were given superselective intra-arterial infusion of cisplatin (100-120 mg/m 2 /week) with simultaneous intravenous infusion of thiosulfate to neutralize cisplatin toxicity and radiotherapy (65-70Gy).
RESULTS:Five patients had tumors arising in the base of tongue, 2 in the maxillary sinus, and the remaining 2 in the nasopharynx. The median follow-up period was 9y7m (range 4y6m -12y5m), and the 5-year local control (LC), overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival rates were 88.9 %, 88.9%, and 55.6%, respectively. The 10-year OS rate was 57.1%, but all patients who remained alive for over 10 years are still alive with disease. Primary tumor recurrence was observed in 5 of the 9 patients, with the median time to recurrence being 6y (range 4-9 years). Five of the 9 patients had distant metastasis, and all of these 3 patients also had primary recurrence.