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Choosing a concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimen for squamous cell head and neck cancer: A systematic review of the published literature with subgroup analysis
Author(s) -
Browman George P.,
Hodson D. Ian,
Mackenzie Robert J.,
Bestic Nancy,
Zuraw Lisa
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.1081
Subject(s) - concomitant , medicine , regimen , head and neck cancer , radiation therapy , odds ratio , oncology , randomized controlled trial , subgroup analysis , adverse effect , chemotherapy , confidence interval , surgery
Background A systematic review was conducted to develop clinical recommendations for concomitant chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer (SCHNC). Methods Results of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were pooled using Meta‐analyst 0.988 software. Results A pooled analysis of 18 RCTs (20 comparisons) involving 3,192 patients detected a reduction in mortality for concomitant therapy compared with RT alone (odds ratio [OR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52–0.74; relative risk, 0.83; risk reduction, 11%; p < .00001). Platinum‐based regimens involving 1,514 patients from nine trials (10 comparisons) were most effective (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46–0.71; p < .00001; risk reduction, 12%). Concomitant therapy produced more acute adverse effects than RT alone. Conclusion Platinum‐based concomitant CT and RT is superior to conventional RT alone in improving survival in locally advanced SCHNC. Subgroup analyses can be used to help in choosing the most appropriate concomitant regimen. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 23: 579–589, 2001.