[Results of accelerated radiotherapy and simultaneous carboplatin administration in inoperable head-neck cancers]

Until now, radical irradiation has been the treatment of choice for patients with unresectable squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. In spite of improved radiation techniques, conventional radiotherapy remains mainly palliative for patients with advanced and unresectable disease stages. Our own results with accelerated radiotherapy (2 x 2.1 Gy/day, day 1-4 in week 1, 2, 5 and 6, total dose of 67.2 Gy) and simultaneous chemotherapy with carboplatin (50 mg/m2/treatment day) suggest that combined radiochemotherapy might improve the poor results achieved with conventional radiotherapy or sequential chemoradiotherapy in these patients. However, further studies are necessary to clarify whether modified radiotherapy or simultaneous chemotherapy or the combination of both are the reason for the improved treatment results. Furthermore, accelerated radiotherapy and simultaneous chemotherapy should also be investigated as an adjuvant postoperative treatment modality in primary resectable patients with advanced stage of disease to improve their poor prognosis.