Tactics of chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx with index of metastatic regional lymph nodes stage N3

During 1996-2015 years, 53 patients with stage locally-advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx with stage N3 were treated in N.N. Blokhin National Research Center of Oncology. Depending on the treatment method, patients were divided into 2 groups: concurrent (n = 26) and induction (n = 27) chemoradiotherapy. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (option 1) was given using: cisplatin 100 mg/m2 - every 3 weeks, or carboplatin 1.5 AUC weekly, or cisplatin 100 mg/m2 with 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2 every 24 hours, in continuous infusion for 96 hours (PF). Induction chemotherapy (option 2) was performed in 2 modes: TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil) or PF (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil). Radiation therapy was performed on a linear accelerator for 2 Gy daily up to SD 68-70 Gy for the primary tumor and 66 Gy for the affected lymph nodes. According to the results of our retrospective study, the 3 year overall and relapse-free survival rate depending on the chemoradiotherapy option was 37 and 32 % (option 1), 62 and 56 % (option 2). A promising option for chemoradiotherapy of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx is induction chemoradiotherapy. © 2021 Editorial Office China Surfactant Detergent and Cosmetics. All rights reserved