Reirradiation alternating with docetaxel and cisplatin in inoperable recurrence of head-and-neck cancer: a prospective phase I/II trial.

PURPOSE: Inoperable locoregional recurrences of head-and-neck cancer in a previously irradiated volume represent a therapeutic dilemma. Chemotherapy alone has no curative potential, whereas reirradiation and concurrent chemoradiation can salvage a small fraction of patients. Mucosal toxicity of concurrent chemoradiation requires substantial dose reduction of chemotherapy. Alternating chemoradiation offers the chance to give both full-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The latter may provide a particular advantage for recurrent, potentially radiation resistant tumors. The feasibility and efficacy of a full-dose docetaxel containing alternating chemoradiation schedule was tested.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven patients (Karnofsky performance status score >/=70%) with histologically proven recurrent squamous cell cancer that occurred >/= 6 months in a previously irradiated area (>/= 60 Gy) were considered unresectable and unsuitable for brachytherapy. Alternating chemoradiation consisted of 3 cycles of docetaxel 60 mg/m(2) d1 and cisplatin 15 mg/m(2) d2-5, q d22, and involved field radiotherapy 2.0 Gy every day d8-12, d15-19, d29-33, and d36-40 (40.0 Gy total dose). Dose reduction of docetaxel to 50 mg/m(2) was necessary, because of hematologic toxicity in the first 12 patients.

RESULTS: Alternating chemoreirradiation was applied as planned in 12 of 27 patients, with reirradiation completed per protocol in 81%. Overall, patients received 83% of the intended dose of docetaxel and 73% of cisplatin. Third-degree common toxicity criteria mucositis occurred in 15%, leukopenia of >/= third degree by common toxicity criteria in 37%, and 3 early deaths were observed. Median time to follow-up, time to local progression, median survival, and 3-year survival rates were 42 months, 10 months, 10 months, and 18%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Alternating chemoreirradiation in recurrences of head-and-neck cancer resulted in 80% overall response with acceptable toxicity. A significant minority of patients had durable tumor control with a chance of long-term survival.