Purpose: The efficacy and toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy and their impact on larynx preservation have been studied in patients with advanced (stage III, IVa, and IVb) squamous cell cancer of the larynx.
Patients and methods: Fifty patients were treated with either 2-4 cycles of induction chemotherapy with cisplatin 100 mg/m(2), day 1 and infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU 1000 mg/m(2), days 1-5), followed by radiotherapy 70 Gy, 1.8-2 Gy per fraction, or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (the above-mentioned radiotherapy concurrently with carboplatin 300 mg/m(2) every 21 days or weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2)). Patients were allocated in the 2 arms by 1:1 selection. At the end of both protocols, patients without complete response (CR) underwent laryngectomy and/or neck lymph node dissection. Assessed were response and toxicity rates, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).
Results: A total of 31 (62%) patients achieved larynx preservation with acceptable organ function. No statistically significant difference in response rate and OS was found between the two treatment arms. Patients submitted to concurrent chemoradiotherapy showed significantly longer DFS (14 vs. 10 months, p= 0.0397) and higher rates of larynx preservation (p <0.05). All grade IV side effects occurred in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group.
Conclusion: Concurrent compared to alternating chemoradiotherapy was more toxic, but achieved significantly longer DFS and higher rate of larynx preservation.