Absence of planned neck dissection for the N2-N3 neck after chemoradiation for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

OBJECTIVE: To review our institutional experience of patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and N2-N3 neck disease with respect to neck recurrence after chemoradiation without planned neck dissection (ND). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. PATIENTS: Fifty-four adults with locally advanced SCCHN and N2-N3 neck disease. INTERVENTIONS: Eighty consecutive patients were treated with chemoradiation, 70 Gy given as 2 Gy daily for 7 weeks, with cisplatin, 20 mg/m(2), given on the first 4 days of weeks 1 and 5. Of the 80 patients, 54 were evaluable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were overall survival and absence or presence of neck disease after chemoradiation. Secondary outcomes included disease-specific survival and locoregional recurrence-free survival. RESULTS: Median follow-up of living patients was 35 months. Patients with a complete response (CR) did not have any planned ND. Factors associated with the absence of recurrent neck disease included CR (P < .001), younger age (P = .02), and better Karnofsky Performance Status (P = .049). In patients achieving CR, 2-year overall, disease-specific, and locoregional recurrence-free survival was 92%, 95%, and 95%, respectively. Three of the 43 patients (7%) with N2 lesions obtaining CR subsequently experienced a neck recurrence at a median of 15 months (range, 7-24 months). CONCLUSIONS: In these patients with locally advanced SCCHN and N2-N3 neck disease treated with chemoradiation and achieving CR, only a few patients with N2 neck disease experienced recurrence despite the absence of planned ND. Prospective trials are needed to identify patients with N2 neck disease who may still benefit from planned ND after chemoradiation. There were not enough patients with N3 neck disease to make any recommendations.

Concomitant low-dose cisplatin and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Analysis of survival and toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Our center sought to implement a simple chemoradiotherapy schedule for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with minimal toxicity to achieve rates of overall survival comparable to other schedules. METHODS: The chemoradiotherapy schedule consisted of daily radiation to 70 Gy over 7 weeks with concurrent cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) during days 1 to 4 of weeks 1 and 5. Acute and late toxicities were recorded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and common toxicity criteria (CTC) grading. The overall, disease-specific, and locoregional recurrence-free survival were calculated using the STATA statistics package. Possible factors influencing these endpoints were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were treated, and 56 patients were evaluable for follow-up. Median follow-up of alive patients was 16.1 months. There was an 82% complete response rate to chemoradiotherapy. The 2-year Kaplan-Meier overall, disease-specific, and locoregional recurrence-free survival rates were 62%, 67%, and 63%. Acute grade 3 and 4 radiation toxicity was noted in 61% and 2%, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity was noted in 7% of patients. Factors influencing overall survival included: Karnofsky performance status, receiving more than 50% of planned chemotherapy, age, and initial hemoglobin level. CONCLUSION: This regimen is tolerable and achieves overall survival and locoregional control rates comparable to other chemoradiotherapy schedules.