Abstract
PURPOSE: In our study we compared low-dose gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy as regards response rate, survival and toxicity profile in locally advanced head and neck cancer.
Methodology: sixty patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer were included in this prospective comparative randomized study, in the period from January 2011 to September 2013.
Results: The patients were treated in two randomized groups; each of them included 30 patients. In gemcitabine arm (group A), 42.3% of the patients had stage III, and 57.7% of them had stage IVa while 48.15% of the patients of cisplatin arm (group B) had stage III and 51.85% had stage IVa. The median duration of response in group A was 21 months, while in group B it was 23 months. The degree of response had a statistically significant effect on survival in group B patients. It was evident in patients who achieved partial response (PR) that showed lower survival than those with (CR).
Conclusion: Gemcitabine has comparable radiosensitizing effect with acceptable toxicity profile and can be used as a radiosensitizer in head and neck cancers especially when cisplatin cannot be used. We recommend further studies to establish its rule.