Grade 3 Mucositis (grade 3 + mucositis)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Weekly 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin for concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 2 2010
Young Joo Lee MD
Abstract Background. In locally advanced head and neck cancer, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with combined 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin has increased acute toxicities as well as survival. Once-weekly chemotherapeutic administration schedule may reduce severe toxicities. Thus, we investigated CRT using weekly administration of 5-FU,cisplatin in locally advanced head and neck cancer. Methods. In a single-arm, phase II study, CRT included radiation (70.0 Gy/35 fr) and weekly 5-FU (750 mg/m2) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2). Results. Thirty-two patients completed planned radiation. Thirteen (41%) achieved complete response, and 16 (50%) partial response. Twelve patients (38%) experienced acute grade 3 toxicities. Grade 3 mucositis, which was the most common toxicity, developed in 5 (16%) patients. The survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 81% and 76%, respectively. The progression-free survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 69% and 66%, respectively. Conclusions. We demonstrated weekly 5-FU-cisplatin with conventional radiotherapy was efficacious and feasible with high compliance rate in locally advanced head and neck cancer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010 [source]


Concomitant radiochemotherapy in primary inoperable advanced head and neck cancer with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 10 2004
Hans Christiansen MD
Abstract Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy and concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C infusion in inoperable head and neck cancer. Methods. Seventy-six patients (86% men, 14% women), mean age 57 years, with primary inoperable head and neck cancer were treated with 70 Gy plus simultaneous intravenous chemotherapy with 5-FU (600 mg/m2/d, days 1 to 5) and mitomycin-C (10 mg/m2, day 5 plus 36). Results. After a mean follow-up of 13 months, 31 patients were alive. Complete response (CR) was seen in 63%. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 67.7% and 39.5%, and locoregional control rates were 51.7% and 35.6%. Pretreatment hemoglobin <13.9 g/dL was associated with lower locoregional control rates (p = .03). Therapy was well tolerated (grade 3 mucositis in 21%, grade 4 in 1%, grade 3 leukopenia in 11%). Conclusions. Our radiochemotherapy regimen offers a curative option for this group of patients with a poor prognosis. Hemoglobin levels before therapy have an influence on prognosis. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck26: 845,853, 2004 [source]


Use of topical misoprostol to reduce radiation-induced mucositis: Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2006
MJ Veness
Summary Radiation-induced mucositis is an acute reaction of the mucosa of patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy. It can have debilitating and dose-limiting consequences. There is no consensus on an accepted intervention that significantly reduces its severity. Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue, with properties of a mucosal cytoprotectant. We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of misoprostol in patients with head and neck cancer. The aim of this study was to determine if topical misoprostol was effective in reducing the severity of radiation-induced mucositis in patients receiving radical dose radiotherapy. The effect of this intervention on a patient's general well-being was also investigated. The primary end-point of the study was the incidence of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 3 mucositis. Between 1999 and 2002, 83 patients were recruited into the study at Westmead and Nepean Hospitals, Sydney. Forty-two patients were randomized to receive misoprostol and 41 to receive a placebo. Most patients received radiotherapy in the adjuvant setting (52 of the 83) and had either an oral cavity (42 of the 83) or an oropharyngeal (16 of the 83) cancer. We could not identify any significant difference in the incidence of severe mucositis based on whether patients were allocated to receive misoprostol or placebo. There was no significant difference in the mean area under the mucositis curve (13.2 vs 16.6; P = 0.1). Patients allocated to misoprostol did report slightly increased soreness (7.6 vs 6.9; P = 0.04) and a greater use of analgesics. However, this difference did not translate into a worse feeling of general well-being as measured by a simple visual analogue scale (5.8 vs 5.2; P = 0.3). In conclusion, we were unable to identify a reduction in radiation-induced mucositis in patients receiving misoprostol. There is a paucity of high-level evidence on potentially useful interventions and a continued need for new and innovative research, incorporating quality-of-life measurements, in patients experiencing radiation-induced mucositis. [source]


Low-dose weekly platinum-based chemoradiation for advanced head and neck cancer,,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 2 2010
John M. Watkins MD
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The optimal concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen for definitive treatment of locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer remains to be determined. The present investigation reports toxicities, disease control, patterns of failure, and survival outcomes in a large mature cohort of patients treated with low-dose weekly platinum-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Study Design: Retrospective single-institution series. Methods: Toxicity and outcome data for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated with low-dose weekly platinum-based chemotherapy concurrent with standard fractionation radiotherapy were retrospectively collected and analyzed from a clinical database. Survival analysis methods, including Kaplan-Meier estimation and competing risks analysis, were used to assess locoregional disease control, freedom from failure, and overall survival. Results: Ninety-six patients were eligible for the present analysis. Nearly all patients had American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical stage III to IVB disease (99%). Severe acute toxicities included grade 3 mucositis (61%), grade 3/4 nausea (27%/1%), and grade 3 neutropenia (8%). Thirty-seven patients (38%) required hospitalization for a median of 7 days (range, 1,121). Ninety-two percent of patients completed the fully prescribed course of radiotherapy, and 87% completed ,6 cycles of chemotherapy. At a median survivor follow-up of 40 months (range, 8,68), 47% of patients were without evidence of disease recurrence. The estimated 4-year freedom from failure and overall survival were 48% and 58%, respectively. Initial site(s) of disease failure were locoregional for 22 patients, locoregional and distant (five patients), and distant only (14 patients). Conclusions: Weekly low-dose platinum-based chemotherapy with full-dose daily radiotherapy is a tolerable alternative regimen for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancers, with comparable efficacy and patterns of failure to alternative regimens. Laryngoscope, 2010 [source]