Feasibility, Toxicity, and Efficacy of Short Induction Chemotherapy of Docetaxel Plus Cisplatin or Carboplatin (TP) Followed by Concurrent Chemoradio ­ therapy for Organ Preservation in Advanced Cancer of the Hypopharynx, Larynx, and Base of Tongue

Abstract

Short induction with a TP regimen and subsequent CRT with a taxan is feasible and associated with an encouraging local control rate.

Single‐cycle induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy or surgery in patients with head and neck cancer: What are the best predictors of remission and prognosis?

“…Responses to ICT were assessed 21 to 28 days after ICT in all 62 patients by endoscopy under general anesthesia, full-body 18 F-FDG-PET/CT, and contrast-enhanced CT. All patients consented to the diagnostic procedures for staging, restaging, and response evaluation, which are used routinely at our center. The result of endoscopic response assessment by otolaryngology specialists was the main factor in the decision to continue with surgery or CRT.…”

“…Radiation therapy (RT) consisted of conventionally fractionated RT (30 Gy in 2-Gy fractions) followed by hyperfractionated RT with single doses of 1.4 Gy twice a day to a dose of 72 Gy. 18,29 Surgical treatment varied depending on tumor status (and ranged from laser microsurgery to laryngectomy). Patients with persistent lymph node metastasis after CRT were treated by neck dissection.…”

“…14,15 Regimens for short ICT followed by full-dose CRT are interesting and feasible in terms of compliance and toxicity. [16][17][18][19][20] However, there is uncertainty regarding which response evaluation methods should be used in this early phase of treatment. After 2 to 3 cycles of ICT, endoscopy 7,21 and, less frequently, computed tomography (CT) are used for selection.…”

“…16 This sparked the search for early markers of response. The ability of repetitive 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT studies examining changes in the standardized uptake value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose to predict tumor remission has been shown for various other tumor entities [23][24][25] and in small series of patients with HNSCC. [26][27][28] Its predictive value for recurrence has also been demonstrated in parts.…”

“…[26][27][28] Its predictive value for recurrence has also been demonstrated in parts. 20 Motivated by uncertainties surrounding the assessment of response to a single cycle of ICT, we comparatively analyzed the ability of 3 methods -endoscopy, CT, and 18 FDG-PET/CT -to assess the response to ICT. In addition, the various response criteria were tested for correlation with different disease-associated end points.…”