VBM chemotherapy before curietherapy in the treatment of T2 oral carcinomas

According to previous personal experience with conventional 226-Ra sources, in T2 oral carcinomas treated with curietherapy alone the incidence of local failures was 23%. Moreover, 50% of the local relapses were marginal with respect to the treated volume. From May 1980 to November 1981, 29 T2 oral carcinomas suitable for correct curietherapy received 3 weekly courses of VBM chemotherapy: i.e., vincristine, 1 mg i.v.; bleomycin, 15 mg i.m. after 6 and 24 h; and methotrexate, 30 mg p.o. after 48 h. A full dose curietherapy was performed 2 weeks after the completion of VBM. Twenty-seven patients have had a minimum follow-up of 12 months. The overall treatment was well tolerated and immediate results were encouraging. However, the local failure rate does not seem to have decreased by the combined treatment in comparison with curietherapy alone in historical series.