Induction Chemotherapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2013-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Over the last 30 years, induction chemotherapy (IC) has become important for the management
of patients with locally advanced HNSCC (LAHNSCC), particularly since the introduction of
taxanes. The results reported in the TAX 323 and TAX 324 trials indicate that the TPF regimen
(docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) improves overall survival comparing with the PF
regimen (cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil), and the TPF regimen is globally the most accepted
induction regimen for the treatment of LAHNSCC.
However, the TPF regimen has been associated with high toxicity rates, and patients
frequently decline cisplatin during concurrent radiotherapy and require the use of infusion
pumps and a central venous catheter.
Extensive efforts are ongoing to identify alternative schemes that are less toxic than the
TPF regimen but are as effective for LAHNSCC and safely allow the use of definitive
concurrent treatment based on cisplatin and radiotherapy.