Results of radiotherapy in advanced oropharyngeal carcinomas. Primary and postoperative radiotherapy versus radiotherapy following polychemotherapy
Flentje, M.; Mende, U.; Weischedel, U.; Wieland, C.
Strahlentherapie und Onkologie Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft . 164(2): 68-72
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0179-7158 PMID: 3344480 Document Number: 322295
Within the period from 1971 through 1984, 185 patients with advanced oropharynx carcinomas were irradiated during primary therapy. The influence of a standardized chemotherapy (Heidelberg scheme) as initial therapeutic measure is investigated. Whereas 10% of the patients were treated in this way from 1971 through 1977, this part was 78% from 1978 through 1984. The remission rate after chemotherapy was 62%; the greater part of these remissions were partial remissions. The influence of chemotherapy was seen in increased radical macroscopic tumor resections, but also in an increased frequency of radiotherapy interruptions in case of severe mucous reactions. An increased rate of complete tumor remissions after irradiation was not observed. Nonresponders to chemotherapy showed a significantly poorer response to subsequent radiotherapy. There were no differences in survival times between the two periods in spite of the considerably modified therapy methods.