Conventional vs concomitant boost radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin in advanced head and neck cancer

To compare outcome of concomitant boost therapy (CBT) with conventional radiotherapy with cisplatin as a radiosensitizer in advanced head and neck cancer.

Prospective comparative study was undertaken. Patients were assigned alternately to ArmA (conventional arm) and ArmB (CBT arm), 30 in each arm and total 60 patients were enrolled.

Out of 30 patients in conventional Arm A, 13 had complete response (CR; 43.33%), 9 had partial response (PR; 30%), three patients (10%) had stable disease (SD), and five patients (16.66%) had progressive disease (PD). In arm B out of 30 patients, 18 patients (60%) had CR, five patients (16.66%) had partial response (PR), four patients (13.33%) showed SD, and three patients (10%) had PD. There was no statistically significant difference between the two arms for CR (P - value = 0.196).

CBT can be used as an alternative to conventional RT in advanced head and neck cancers which minimize the total duration and the workload can be reduced. The locoregional control with CBT is comparable with the response of conventional RT.