[Induction chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer]

Chemotherapy is a part of the combined multimodality treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancers. Concomitant administration with radiation therapy is the standard treatment for these patients. The efficacy of the docetaxel-cisplatinum-5-fluoro-uracil (TPF) regimen compared to the platinum-5-fluoro-uracil (PF) regimen raised the question of whether this treatment could improve the therapeutic results for locally advanced tumours. For larynx preservation, induction chemotherapy using TPF, followed by radiation therapy for good responders is a valid option. However, clinical studies have to be performed to compare this approach to the concomitant radiation therapy-chemotherapy approach using functional endpoints. For locally advanced tumors, despite the superiority of the TPF regimen over the PF, there is no evidence in the literature to support the use of induction chemotherapy prior to concomitant radiation therapy-chemotherapy. Two recent studies (DECIDE, PARADIGM) failed to demonstrate any benefit, but both trials were stopped early because of slow enrollment. Other studies are on going, or with recently finished accrual, will help to shed light on the role of this treatment.