CHEMORADIATION EFFECTIVE FOR ADENOCYSTIC CARCINOMA

Head Neck. 2011 Nov 15. doi: 10.1002/hed.21905. [Epub ahead of print]

Concurrent chemoradiation for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck.

Samant S, van den Brekel MW, Kies MS, Wan J, Robbins KT, Rosenthal DI, Rasch C, Weber RS.

Source

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee. ssamant@uthsc.edu.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We performed a retrospective review of patients with nonresected head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) treated with concurrent chemoradiation.

METHODS:

Sixteen patients (nasopharynx 7, oropharynx 4, trachea 3, oral and nasal cavity 1 each) were treated at 3 tertiary care centers. Six patients received intraarterial cisplatin and 10 received intravenous cisplatin or carboplatin concurrently with radiation.

RESULTS:

Thirteen patients are alive, 7 without signs of disease with a median follow-up of 61 months. Tumor progression was noted in 8 patients (50%) (distant metastasis in 5 patients and local tumor progression in 3 patients) with a median time to progression of 25 months (range, 4-52 months). Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local progression-free survival (LPFS) rates at 5 years were 87%, 39%, and 61%, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Concurrent chemoradiation is a feasible treatment option and may lead to sustained locoregional tumor control in patients with nonresected ACC of the head and neck.