Cisplatin-containing chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer.

Sixty-two patients with previously untreated advanced head and neck cancer were admitted to a study of pre-radiotherapy combination chemotherapy containing cisplatin. After two courses only 3% were in complete response but 47% had achieved a partial response. Ninety per cent of patients completed radical radiotherapy and at least one course of chemotherapy; 54% of these achieved a complete response at 1 month post-therapy. The overall actuarial survival rate at 2 years was 40.3%, with a median survival of 12 months. The median survival of those with complete response 1 month after therapy has not yet been reached. The toxicity of the chemotherapy was low and no increase in morbidity from the subsequent radiotherapy was noted. Comparison with historical data from this hospital does not suggest any improvement in overall survival for the use of cisplatin-containing chemotherapy prior to radiotherapy.