Abstract
Objectives : To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with resectable squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx and to demonstrate the feasibility of larynx preservation.
Patients and Methods : Forty-eight eligible patients were treated with two chemotherapy regimens between March 1998 and September 2003. One of the chemotherapy regimens consisted of a combination of four drugs : cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, and leucovorin (CF-MTX-LV). The other regimen consisted of two drugs : carboplatin and UFT (CBDCA-UFT). Radiotherapy was delivered 5 days a week using a single daily fraction of 1.8 to 2.0 Gray, to a total dose of 66.6 to 70.2 Gray.
Results : The 5-year disease-specific survival and larynx preservation rates of cases receiving CF-MTX-LV were 85% and 50%, respectively. The 3-year disease-specific survival and larynx preservation rates of cases receiving CBDCA-UFT were 94.4% and 73.7%, respectively. The main toxicities in those treatment modalities were neutropenia, dermatitis, mucositis, infection, and nausea/vomiting.
Conclusion : Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was safe and well-tolerated in the present study. In terms of larynx preservation, the present regimens appear to be useful for selective patients with resectable SCC of the larynx.
