Original Articles Mitomycin and Fluorouracil in Combination with Concomitant Radiotherapy: A Potentially Curable Approach for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy and concurrent mitomycin-C (MC)plus 5-fluorouracil (5FU) infusion in locally advancedsquamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Methods: Sixty-nine patients with SCCHN (6 Stage III and 63 Stage IV patients) were treated with external beam radiotherapy (70 Gy) and simultaneous intravenous chemotherapy with 5FU (600 mg/m2/day, Days 1–5) and MC (10 mg/m2, Days 5 and 36). Results: After a mean follow-up of 28.5 months, 59.4 % of patients were alive without disease. Complete response was seen in 76.8 % of patients. The 3 years overall survival, locoregional relapse-freesurvival anddisease-free survivalwas62.3, 89.8and49.5%, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated (Grade III mucositis in 43.5 % and Grade II leukopenia in 5.8%). Conclusions: This concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen offers a curative option for our patients where primary and nodal disease is fairly large resulting in hypoxic radioresistant tumors. Key words: head and neck cancer – radiotherapy – concurrent – mitomycin-C – hemoglobi