[Preoperative radiochemotherapy of advanced resectable cancer of the oral cavity with cisplatin vs paclitaxel/carboplatin. Analysis of two multimodality treatment concepts].

PURPOSE: The purpose of simultaneous chemoradiotherapy is to increase local tumor control and to decrease the incidence of distant metastases. Platinum-based chemotherapy regimens are widely accepted as standard treatment in advanced head and neck cancer. Due to their remarkable activity as well as radiosensitizing effects, taxanes play in increasing role in multimodality treatment concepts of solid tumors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since 1989 a total of 85 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx were recruited to participate in two different prospective clinical trials of preoperative chemoradiation. Both treatment concepts (study A: cisplatin 12.5 mg/m(2) plus radiation 36 Gy vs study B: Taxol 40 mg/m(2)/carboplatin AUC 1.5 plus radiation 40 Gy) were compared and further statistical analysis including descriptive analysis as well as univariate and multivariate analysis was performed.

RESULTS: At the time of the analysis a total of 47 patients (55.3%) were alive, 38 patients (44.7%) died from tumor-related causes. The overall survival for both patient groups at 5 years was 45.1% (study A) and 84.9% (study B) and after 10 years 32.4% for study group A. A comparative analysis of both groups revealed a highly significant survival benefit at 4 years for study B (p=0.0015). In various calculation models of the multivariate analysis the regimen containing Taxol/carboplatin (study B) was superior to the cisplatin regimen (study A).

CONCLUSION: Based on a retrospective analysis of two different concepts of preoperative chemoradiation and supported by recent data from the literature it is justified to conclude that taxane-based combination regimens are more effective compared to cisplatin-based regimens.