Chemo-radiotherapy in the elderly and/or poor performance status patients with advanced head and neck cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity and response rate, as well as to assess the impact of chemoradiotherapy on local control and survival in the elderly and/or patients in poor performance status with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). The treatment consisted of four cycles of induction chemotherapy with Carboplatin, Fluouracil and Leucovorin, followed by continuous infusion of Carboplatin combined with radiotherapy. Up to now, nine patients entered this study, all evaluable for toxicity and treatment response. Six patients completed the planned treatment, obtaining 2 complete responses and 2 partial responses, the other two patients remained stable during the therapy. No patient stopped the treatment due to toxicity, which was mild and limited to mucositis during radiotherapy. Due to a small number of patients and the fact that the study is still in progress we are unable to draw any definitive conclusions.