A report on misonidazole in randomized trial in locally advanced head and neck cancer

A prospective randomized trial is reported involving 97 patients with locally advanced cancer of the head and neck. Using six large fractions of radiation (3600 rad in 17 days) the addition of misonidazole (2.0gm per m2 body surface) with each fraction did not increase the local control rate at one year. It is thought that this is probably because of an inadequate tumor concentration of the drug.